I Wish I'd Written This

I have just belatedly come across the wonderful work of Shane Koyczan, a talented Spoken Word poet who lives in Penticton, B.C.  The documentary film on his life, "Shut Up and Say Something," was the 2017 official selection at the Vancouver International Film Festival. 

He is amazing. I included the video above to give you a little glimpse of the beautiful area where I am fortunate to live, which he extols in his poem. I have also added the video below, to demonstrate his warm, compelling, and very moving presentation on sensitive topics. He draws on his own life experiences to talk about childhood, bullying, being different, and being oneself,  often drawing tears from his audiences. He touches hearts. He has certainly touched mine. 

Shane grew up without his parents, but with a grandma who adores him. He knew what it was to be bullied as a child. He said his grandma woke him every morning with the greeting "Rise and Shine". I would say he  certainly does just that - he shines. I love his big, warm, inclusive heart. He quips, "My dreams were shy because I'm Canadian." Smiles.

He has several books of poetry out, and a novel in verse. His books, To This Day: For the Bullied and Beautiful and A Bruise On Light Visiting Hours, were selected by both the Guardian and the Globe and Mail as the Best Books of 2005. He and his band Short Story Long recently released a full length digital album titled Remembrance, where he tackles the sensitive topic of abuse.

He is doing such good work in the world; he speaks to all ages, especially to the young, who know he totally "gets" their painful struggles. I just love him. Here is his wonderful presentation of  "Remember How We Forgot".





For another wonderful presentation, here is a link to "When I Was a Kid", perhaps my favourite, for your enjoyment. His website is here. 


Material shared in 'I Wish I'd Written This' is presented for study and review. Poems, photos and other writings remain the property of the copyright owners, usually their authors.