Introduction to Brett Douglas Levinson

It is both my pleasure and great honor to introduce my son, Brett, the Honor Roll student and poet. Five years ago, he was diagnosed as being High Functioning on the autism scale. The progress he has made is nothing short of phenomenal. I have never considered my son’s autism to be a handicap but rather a challenge, engaging his teachers, my wife and I, and Brett himself on a diligent path to success.

He wrote this poem at the tender age of thirteen. It was written as an assignment in an English class and took him approximately ten minutes.

This poem probably had its inception in my son’s brain several years before he wrote it down on paper. He was required to run track as part of his Gym class. At first, he disliked it. He did not think he was very good and had limited stamina. But over several years he gained confidence and ability in his running skills. It was during those runs where he had time to ponder his experiences, where this insightful and nuanced poem had its origins.

Thank you and enjoy
Barry Levinson

A Runners Poem

We’re running into the distance
Eyes focused dead ahead not on what we’re passing
We run together but one of us may hit a bump and fall
And no one gives the fallen one a glance they just run on
Run on into the light with the hope of something better
They run on ignoring the little things, always hungry for more
Never slowing down to look behind them or at the passing scenery
They’ll trip each other just to get ahead
With the hope of something better
A better home with everything they want
A better world where they can be eternal
And if that wonderful and perfect place even exists
They’re all fighting each other to reach that place
Fighting just to get ahead just for the chance to lead and be first
Every side has the same goal
Yet they are too stubborn to realize it
Instead they fight fruitless battles
Each of which prove how imperfect they are
And how unworthy they are
They fight and fight yet instead of gaining they lose and end up further from their goal
Yet if they only realized and worked with the other runners they could do a whole lot more
And leave this place behind and head on to that “perfect” world
But is there a better or “perfect” place or is it the runners themselves that need to make that place?

Brett Levinson