Maxine Fickenscher
Poem: I love my cerebral palsy
Story: Her Story of Fire
Story: The Bridge Between (Prologue)
Poem: The Real Princess Warrior
Slam Group Poem: "A Dozen Adaptations for the Socially Distanced"
Group Poem: "Potluck"
Script: "The Panic at the Disco"
I love my cerebral palsy
I love me
I want to ice my ankles almost every night
Sometimes I want to scream and cry
But I love it still
I get to waddle like a duck
I get to take breaks in PE when no one else does
Most of all I love it because I can help
I can help that kid who thinks they're alone
I can help that parent who blames themselves
I can be a beacon of hope for a better life
So I Thank God that I'm alive
That I can be a light
That I have these scars
So don't call me disabled
That's not true
I am differently-abled
And I want others to see that too
I love me
Every part
I love my cerebral palsy
-For my big brother who helped me see the light
Her Story of Fire
¨Smoke hung so thick in the library's rafters she could read words in it¨
The library was on fire; she was on fire.
She was stuck in the fire and couldn't get out, but she didn't mind. She didn’t want to get out. The fire was nice; the fire consumed her. But the fire was in her mind. The book in her hand was the source, and the words were the smoke. She breathed them in, and they stuck with her, she didn't want to let them go. The fire kept her warm when the world was so cold. The fire may leave a scar, but she doesn't care. The book would stay with her forever that way. She would prefer to leave the real world reduced to ash. She would rather have the fire and the smoke, she would rather have the burns and scars. Other people may not understand the attraction she has towards the fire and the smoke. They may call her weird or odd, but she doesn't care, the cold of the world may have contaminated their hearts but she won’t let it contaminate hers. When her mother told her it was time to go, the ice-cold air of the world smothered out the fire. But there was still the smoke and the burns, and hope to return to the fire.
The Bridge Between (Prologue)
Once there were two islands in the middle of the Pacific ocean covered up by thick, dense clouds. These islands were unknown to all except the strange humans who inhabited them. Humans with glowing eyes. The islands were known as the Island of Light and the Island of Dark.
On the Island of Light, there was a large lighthouse, bright colors were encouraged, and life was abundant. The people on this island wanted life outside of the mysterious clouds to know they were there. They thought that they had light and hope to give to the outside world.
They thought themselves to be servants of all other life.
On the Island of Dark, there was a large dark stone castle, bright colors were discouraged and the humans were the only life form on the island, so pale and unexposed to light they almost looked gray. The people there believe that the clouds were there for a reason, they thought they were meant to be closed off from the world.
They thought themselves to be above all other life.
The people of the islands preferred to ignore each other, so much so they almost forgot of the other island’s existence...almost.
The Real Princess Warrior
My mama is too good for me
As a kid, she told me I could be anything I wanted to be
A princess ruling a far off land
While in a tattered play worn princess dress
Balancing books on my head refusing to let gravity win
Or running barefoot on the grass, singing to every animal I could find
She would tell me good job!
And ¨admire¨ my skill
She said I could be a warrior fighting for what is right
Letting me train every day
So that one day I could become the world's best princess warrior
While warning me not to break anyone or anything in the house
What she doesn't see is she is that inspiration for me
She is that princess holding her head high
She is that warrior fighting the things that cause her pain
She is strong, funny, brave, loving, beautiful
Everything I aspire to be
My mama is too good for me