WASHINGTON 鈥� Eight-year-old Nael is dealing with his first taste of fame.
Two years ago, the then 6-year-old penned a poem at 鈥檚 after school writing program. Now, that 12-word composition, called 鈥淭he Tiger,鈥� is one of the hottest topics on social media. It鈥檚 been shared, retweeted and discussed a thousand times over.
The gist? It鈥檚 about a tiger who destroys and escapes his cage. 聽
鈥淎s it became more and more viral, people started to project all sorts of meaning onto it,鈥� said 826DC Executive Director Zachary Clark.
Some read it as a poem about liberation; others appreciate its ambiguity.
鈥淭here were people, literally across the world, who were tweeting us and saying, 鈥楥an I have more context about this?鈥欌�� Clark added.
Probably without realizing it, Nael has created a text that celebrates the transition from captivity to freedom with brilliant simplicity. The tiger can be read as a metaphor for the oppressed, the cage society, the freedom justice.
Plus Nael probably likes tigers a bunch.
鈥� Adam Barker (@AdamRomanus)
John Green, author of the best-selling young adult novel, 鈥淭he Fault In Our Stars,鈥� attempted to dissect Nael鈥檚 poem on a recent . Two fans even reached out to Clark for permission to tattoo the words onto their bodies.
鈥淲e thought, 鈥榊eah, but how do we convey that to a 6-year-old?鈥欌��
Nael, whose last name is being withheld upon request, is taking his newfound notoriety in stride. The D.C.-based third grader said he wrote about tigers at the time because they made him happy. 鈥淪uper happy鈥� is the feeling he describes knowing that his poem has reached so many readers around the world.
My favorite poem? Possibly.
The Tiger by Nael age 6The tiger
He destroyed his cage
Yes
YES
The tiger is out鈥� Mark Morris (@Mark_Morris75)
Amplifying the voices of D.C.鈥檚 youth is a core mission of 826DC. The nonprofit operates both in school classrooms and out of its Columbia Heights center, which to the average passer-by looks like a random magic shop attached to the historic Tivoli Theatre.
Inside , wands, capes and candles are available for purchase. But behind a trap door 鈥� guarded by a ventriloquist doll聽鈥� is where the real magic takes place.
There, students have access to shelves of books, comfy couches and a trove of tutors and mentors. There鈥檚 even an on-site publication center where young authors can print and bind their zines, short stories and essays. (The wizarding decoy helps to jump-start the imagination 鈥� a critical element in the writing process.)
鈥淲e recognize that young people have important, worthy and complex stories to tell, and we want to send the message to them that their voices are as important as the authors you might see on a bookshelf at Politics and Prose,鈥� Clark said.
Nael鈥檚 poem was published in 826DC鈥檚 2016 anthology, 鈥�.鈥� From there, someone posted a photo of 鈥淭he Tiger鈥� to Twitter.
鈥淧eople started to read it and we saw more and more activity around it,鈥� said Clark, who attributes the success of the short poem to its hopeful, whimsical, irreverent and earnest nature.
We’re thrilled to see Nael’s poem getting the recognition it deserves! Thanks for amplifying student voices. Here’s where you can purchase the anthology to support our programs >>
鈥� 826DC (@826dc)
鈥淚t鈥檚 whatever you need it to be, but at the fundamental level, it鈥檚 well-written and it鈥檚 Nael鈥檚 voice, and that鈥檚 what we care about.鈥�
As for Nael鈥檚 next move, the promising author has confirmed he is working on a story about a magic tree house. No word yet on when it鈥檚 expected to hit shelves 鈥� or social media.
William Blake: [arduously creates tiger metaphors with bonus rune art plate]
Nael age 6: [recounts actual cool tiger and nails it first try]鈥� Johannes V. Variety (@johnvvariety)
Interested in learning more? Clark said one of the best ways to discover new work from fresh voices is to attend an 826DC book release party. The next one, planned with the SEED School of DC, is scheduled for Wednesday, May 30 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Politics and Prose at The Wharf.
鈥淛ust by showing up, sitting in the seat and listening to a young person speak his or her story, you are sending them a message that they and their stories are important and worth hearing, and that is the fulfillment of our mission,鈥� he said.聽
