Monday, October 28

We All Need Love And Kindness Not Bullying And Hate

Izzy
Izzy Dix with her mother Gabbi
14 year old Izzy Dix wrote this poem after attending a local music festival and returning home in floods of tears.

I Give Up
by Izzy Dix

I arrive,
Happy and fresh,
Ready and excited
To celebrate the goodness.
I am eager and keen to have a good time.
As I smile from the bubbles of anticipation whizzing around in my stomach,
I begin to see the crowd ...
I see more people,
Many are happy and joyful.
They're there like me,
To celebrate ...
I smile at them and say hello to the many faces I see.
They look shocked and surprised to see me ...
I question their judgemental glares as I wonder,
"What have I done wrong?"
I see their drinks swilling in their fingers as their backs begin to face me.
I try to edge my way back into the circle of giggles and talking,
They push me away.
I stand still,
My eyes glazed and absent.
Suddenly they call me over,
I think, "Yes! They've noticed me!"
But then it begins,
They start to ask questions,
As to why I am there.
They begin to tell me that nobody wants me there.
They tell me to leave and that I am not wanted,
Not there, not anywhere ...
My heart,
My head,
My body,
Numb ...
I feel pricks of stinging begin to pinch my eyes as cheeks begin to burn.
"Don't let them see you.
Don't show them that you're weakened,
Weakened by their remarks."
"Stay strong," I think ...
But it's too late,
My palms, clammy,
My cheeks, streaming,
My neck, sweating.
I walk quickly away from the chanting and laughing.
My vision, spinning,
My heart, beginning to break.
I look down and walk.
My eyes drowning in a sea of emotion.
Another piece of me, chiselled away by their cruel remarks and perceptions ...
I give up.

On the night of Tuesday 17th September 2013, 14 year old Devon schoolgirl Izzy Dix tragically took her own life. Her death has been linked to bullying, both at school and online.

Izzy's mother Gabbi released the poem in the hope that her daughter's words might make other potential bullies think twice about their behaviour and perhaps prevent a further tragedy.

It hurts that anyone should die in such circumstances - it seems that Izzy suffered months of cruel taunts from school pupils and internet trolls.

Mrs Dix said, "I want young people all around the world to think about the potential impact of their behaviour before they act. We all need to be motivated by love and kindness, not nastiness and hate."

Amen.

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10 comments:

  1. How sad. There is so much nastiness on some internet forums, but the bullying at school should have been noticed and stopped. How can anyone, even children, be so cruel. I hope publishing the poem will have some effect.

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    1. Very sad. As for the school not noticing, I guess they don't unless someone makes a complaint.

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  2. Thought-provoking indeed,and so sad that a beautiful young girl feels the only way out is suicide. I wish youngsters would realise there's a world beyond social networking etc and channel their energies into more productive pursuits out of home and in time, hopefully make real friends and enjoy life as it should be. Simplistic I know but a start.....

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    1. It's not simplistic, but social networking is now a way of life for 'youngsters'. There is so much else but I don't suppose, when I was young, I would have listened - what do parents know!

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  3. Wow, this is so tragic. The poem really captures what she felt and why. Bullying is a problem worldwide.

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    1. Bullying is everywhere but on the social sites they can get away with a lot of the stuff by being anonymous - so they say what they want.

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  4. Anonymous14:29

    tragic story - but bullying is not limited to individuals an adolescent "group" decides to scapegoat or that people at work decide to torment. It is sometimes a force with society with equally disastrous and tragic consequences. Read for example "the Orange Order are Serial Bullies" on eurofree3.wordpress.com and reflect on how much that attitude has contributed, and still contributes to the deaths and disorder in Northern Ireland.

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    1. Bullying can be towards or from any age group. There are different degrees - even in the workplace. It is destructive wherever it goes on.

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  5. its upsetting to think that this could happen i dont understand all this hate

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  6. Her writing is hauntingly beautiful. Things like this happen and I want to scream: what are we doing?!

    Thank you very much for posting Izzy's words.

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