"Me"

To all the school bullies who made fun of me because I put my hand up in class,
To all the boys, who never spoke to me, but still looked at my ass,
And to all the parents and children who loved me for volunteering in the library, thank you.
For all the usernames on YouTube who still find time to hate,
The shop assistants and waiters, handing me bills and plates,
The daydreamers on the college bus and the late sleepers next door who, no matter how many times played, still love Adele's "Someone Like You".
And all the musicians I have played but never met, all the writers I have read and inspire to be, thank you.
To all the teachers who gave me E's and A stars,
All the nurses who went an extra mile far and my parents, for loving me and my weirdness.
For my sister who is way cooler than I could ever be,
All the old crushes, the "gorgeous" ones who didn't know me,
My friends who made me laugh and my boyfriend who made me laugh harder. Thank you.
But right now, I thank the platform on which I stand, my plaited good luck bracelet on my left hand and Blue Peter, who interviewed Jacqueline Wilson, who - and I quote - said "anyone can write".
I thank your parents for letting you loose in this metallic jungle, I thank the gods of imagination, there has to be more than one, and I thank all the hearts, lungs and brains around me.
Because I am me, this girl of 18, stood in quivering fear and awe that my idea is vocalised out to you.
I don't care about the idiots, who does, right?
I don't care for every enemy I've had to fight,
And I don't care for the tales of the monsters at night, for those tales lie and those monsters are no more grotesque than you or I.
So I thank you all, for making me "Me", for my 6 pounds and 8 ounces of life and 1993.
And you're welcome, for I hope this has somehow made yourself more "You" and nothing more.
Thank you.