This poem was given to me by an 11 year old Brazilian boy that I met 4 years ago named Allison. He is now 15 and has been a huge inspiration to me. Allison and kids just like him are what MAD is all about.

Once upon a time there was a wise man

who used to go to the ocean to do his

writing. He had a habit of walking on the

beach before he began his work. 

 

One day he was walking along the shore.

As he looked down the beach, he saw a

human figure moving like a dancer. He

smiled to himself to think of someone

who would dance to the day.

 

So he began to walk faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he saw that it was a

young man and the young man wasn't

dancing, but instead he was reaching

down to the shore, picking up something

and very gently throwing it into the ocean. 

 

As he got closer he called out, "Good

morning! What are you doing?"
 

The young man paused, looked up and replied,

"Throwing starfish in the ocean."

 

"I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?"
 

"The sun is up and the tide is going out. And if I don't throw them in they'll die."
 

"But, young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it. You can't

possibly make a difference!"
 

The young man listened politely.  Then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it

into the ocean, past the breaking waves and said - "It made a difference for that one."

Allison then wrote at the bottom of the poem these words which I will always remember:

"I am your starfish."