Beating Bullying With Writing, A Story Of Hope

Beating bullying with words, a poem about bullying

My blog is about mental health and staying happy, and one major threat to our happiness can be bullying. It doesn’t matter whether you are old or young, male or female, severe bullying can be soul destroying.

It happens in schools and playgrounds, in the office and in the workplace, and even within friendship groups. Bullies truly are examples of human nature at its worst, and although it shouldn’t be tolerated, many bullies slip through the cracks. Bullying can’t always be policed, but you can get help.

No one should suffer through being tormented by a bully on their own. Most people, at some point in their lives will have experienced bullying. A lot of people experience some form of bullying at secondary school, even if it’s on a minor scale.

I struggled through Junior school, never feeling like I quite fitted in. Eventually I learned that trying to be friends with these people wasn’t worth it, and I found a friend who was going through the same thing as me. She is now a friend for life, who I don’t see very often, but I know I can count on.

Even though we hardly ever mention it, we know our bond started as a result of bullying. The bullying I experienced really wasn’t that bad, and yet, I still remember it to this day, so I hate to think the lasting impact severe bullying has on people. Secondary school for me wasn’t too bad, because I made a wonderful group of friends, and miraculously, we are all still close friends today.

My boyfriend works for the Dallaglio Foundation, which runs a social inclusion programme for disengaged 14-16 year olds. One of his students, who happens to have a passion for writing, reached out to him and suggested writing a poem.

She is obviously a very creative, imaginative and talented girl, who has found a way to beat bullying. You can tell from her poem that bullying has had a huge impact on her life, but her story is inspiring. Her words really express the pain bullying causes, but it also highlights the fact that, with the right help, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Everyone who has been affected by bullying should read this, and take inspiration from. I would say a massive thank you to this brave young lady for sharing her story and helping to raise awareness. ‘FB and ‘Francis Barber’ is the name of her school. She’s only 15 years old, yet she can write with such depth and emotion.

She will remain anonymous for obvious reasons, but I hope someday I will get the chance to publish more of her writing, because she clearly has a talent. Please take a moment to read her poem and share this poem…

How could this be?

Sticks and stones may break my bones,

But your words, they tore me apart.

They tested. They taunted. And it all broke my heart.

 

I shied away and hid in my room.

So alone, it felt like a tomb.

Hopeless. how could this be?

 

But then, I ended up at FB.

Francis Barber, could this be the place for me?

My heart became whole once more.

Even though, it was left quite sore.

 

They tell me I’ll do great.

Make me feel like a saint.

Maybe I’ve been too hard on myself.

There are now new memories to put on the shelf.

 

My neurons turned neurotic;

Psychosis was my home,

A bed head of the brain, and I was pulling through the comb,

But really, with all the weight of the world engraved into my thoughts.

How did I expect to untangle all the knots?

 

Hopefully. How could this be?

Maybe I really needed to see.

The ups, the downs, the lows, the highs,

It’s all part of the rise.

Francis Barber. Not really what I had in mind.

But I’ve been given my chance to shine.

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