She has blonde hair and auburn eyes

She has a laugh that delights the masses

She wears pink barrettes and silky flowers

Did you know she’s not supposed to run?

She loves horses and saddles

She loves to stroke and brush their long hair

She loves to whisper gently and pat

Even when her therapist can’t hear.

She has a wild and creative imagination

She makes up beautiful storylands

She loves to draw them out in pictures

Even if it’s hard to control her hand.

She dances in her ballet recitals

She cheers for her brother’s sports

She laughs at her daddy’s funny stories

Adored by her grandparents and aunts.

She loves school and all of her teachers

She has friends that share her lunch

She has a crush on the boy at the opposite table

Even though she struggles to talk

She smiles broadly watching her favorite shows

She laughs when her brothers spin her around

She cries when she lands in time-out

But she just wanted to color the wall

She skips while shopping with her mother

She twirls her blonde curls with stubby hands

She shrieks with delight in the toy aisle

While faces quickly turn and stare

She isn’t sure how to take sympathetic glances

She isn’t sure why they give her that smile

She isn’t sure why her class is labeled “special”

Or why she seems to take a little extra while

She turns and looks away when people point

She pretends not to notice their stares

She  knows they think her lesser

Because she has features that deem her rare.

She has a flattened face and a small, wide nose

She has tiny ears and kitten-sized mouth

She has upward slanting eyes with little folds

Her chromosome 21 has blessed her all on its own.

Poetry by Jenna Wolfram