Today we would like to talk to you about a subject that is important to us, through a video that has gone viral on the America : An animated poem about harassment. His author, Shane Koyczan, had the opportunity to present it during a Ted Talk.

In this article, we will first summarize the Ted Talk and Shane Koyczan’s poem, and then go back to some of the reflexions the poet put forward. 

The Canadian poet, Shane Koyczan, presents to us, through his work, the important subject of the harassment of which he himself was a victim. Childhood for him, was a period of loneliness, during which, his dreams were destroyed by a lack of consideration and mockery at school.

It all started when, as a child, he thought that Pork Chops (which were his favorites) and Karate chops was the same thing. One day, he fell from the top of a tree and hurt himself but did not worry his grandmother with his bruises. His gym teacher, who noticed them, sent him to see a counsellor who asked him about his life at home. He, who saw no reason to lie, explained, “whenever I’m sad, my grandmother gives me karate chops“. This statement has lead to a social inquiry but above all it was the start of the beginning of mockery at school with a new nickname “pork chops”.

Through his story and those of two other children, he recites an anti-bulliying poem denouncing the thought that “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me. »

We are transported to the reality of an 8 year old girl called “ugly” because of the scar she had on her face since birth. Another young adopted boy nicknamed “popper” because he is taking medication to try to overcome the depression and suicidal ideation he lives with. 

So, Shane Koyczan makes it clear: “words may hurt more than sticks and stones“. Because they get the kids to stay indoors during recess so they don’t get noticed, to be at the back of the classroom so they don’t get bombarded by spitballs. 

Another point of his fight is prevention. If children can be cruel, so are the observers who don’t act. From the parents of the adopted boy telling him to “move on,” to the teachers who choose not to listen. In this example he uses the beautiful metaphor of the circus in which the school is just a big top circus tent and the mocked children are the monster of the show. Except that when everyone goes home, the mocked children are always on stage trying to make it through.

And Shane also tackles another important theme with great humility : the bullies may also be the victims. As himself admits, he has become what he hated the most, a bullier. From a very young age, he has been forced to “assert his personality” while being told that his dreams are impossible. Fighting against a misplaced confidence and an identity “that others gave me“, how to get out of it?  This speech leads us to consider the origin of the bullying phenomenon, in this sense, is it not a defensive phenomenon? 

It is through a story full of humor and gentleness that Shane Koyczan denounces the reality of great suffering : “at the age of twelve, I wanted to die, at the age of thirteen, I wanted to kill a child“. Let us recall that school harassment affects nearly 700,000 children in France (UNICEF). 

This message addressed to children who are victims of school harassment is also full of hope, telling them that they should not stop following their dreams. It is those who try to break them that are wrong. They told him “choose something realistic” when he wanted to be a writer.  He became a poet and followed his dreams. Through his poem, Shane Koyczan expressed it would be wrong to say “words will never hurt me”, they hurt. But he is the proof that it is possible to turn this disastrous experience into something beautiful and say “we made it”.

Link to watch the full Ted talk : https://www.ted.com/talks/shane_koyczan_to_this_day_for_the_bullied_and_beautiful#t-218654

Words we have learned :

• Harassment : harcèlement
• To be bullied: être victime d’intimidation
• Bruises : bleu/ecchymose
• Heartstrings : corde sensible (ex. toucher la corde sensible)
• Spitball : boulette de papier
• Underdog : perdant/opprimé
• Tummy : langage familier de ventre “bide”