A Place Inside of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart

A Black child moves through a year of feelings, from summertime joy on his skateboard to the fear, anger, grief, and eventual peace that follow a police shooting in his community.

For families looking for a way into hard conversations, this poem gives a child's big, shifting emotions a name and a shape, season by season.

• Big idea: Feelings — even the scary, angry ones — deserve a place to exist, and naming them is part of healing.
• Vibes: Tender, honest, and quietly powerful, moving from bright joy through grief into hard-won peace.

• are working on naming and understanding big emotions
• respond well to poetry that mirrors real feelings
• are learning about community, grief, and healing
• benefit from a gentle way to talk about hard events

• Feelings & empathy: What did the boy feel during the summer, and how did his feelings change after the police shooting?
• Story & problem-solving: The poem says fear grows into anger, then pride and peace — what do you think helped him move through those feelings?
• Real-life connection: Have you ever had a feeling that felt too big to talk about right away?
• Imagination: What do you picture when you think about the 'place inside of you' where your feelings hide?
• Community: How do you think the people around him helped him feel peace again?