Excerpt: Poem by Mattie Stepanek
N E W Y O R K, Dec. 4 -- Eleven-year-old Mattie Stepanek started writing poetry at the age of 3, in part to help him cope with the effects of a rare form of muscular dystrophy. One of his heroes is former President Jimmy Carter, whom he met in person on Good Morning America.
Mattie needs a ventilator and a wheelchair, and has been in and out of comas. In a sense, his whole life has been a recovery.
When he was only 3, he began writing poems because it helped him get through days where he could barely get out of bed.
Since then he has written two poetry books, Heartsongs and Journey Through Heartsongs. Talk show host Oprah Winfrey held up his newest book on her show last month, and it became a best seller.
Here is a poem he wrote from one of his published collections, Journey Through Heartsongs.
December Prayer
No matter who you are,Say a prayer this season. No matter what your faith,Say a prayer this season.No matter how you celebrate,Say a prayer this season.There are so many ways To celebrate faiths,There are so many faithsTo celebrate life.No matter who,No matter whatNo matter how...You pray. Let's say a prayerThis season,Together, for peace.
December 1999
Excerpted from the book Journey Through Heartsongs, by Mattie J.T. StepanekCopyright © Sept. 2001, Mattie J.T. Stepanek. Published by VSP Books/Hyperion
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