Stanzas Within My Skin- Brandon Wint's Visual Poetry

By Rachael Ransom

Brandon Wint’s My Body Is A Poem/The World Makes With Me takes us through a personal introspection of disability and race. He skillfully delivers his film through a captivating poem, a series of metaphors and personal visuals that transport us through key moments in Brandon’s life.

 Having cerebral palsy myself, I can empathize with living in a world that isn’t made for me or my body. In fact, Brandon’s film was the first time I’ve ever seen someone who walks similarly to me on screen…and I’m 26 years old now. 

Brandon so eloquently states: “disability or rather the ableism I inherited from others perception of my disability, makes my body a sight of contention and pleasure in the body equally muddled. The added difficulty of moving through cities and suburbs with inflexibility of cerebral palsy constricting my muscles, and the movements of my hands is hardly ever an emotional or spiritual burden…” His view on his disability is uplifting, and honest. In my own personal experience, disability is not pretty, it’s not easy, but it’s not a dead end either, and I felt this passage articulated that immensely well. 

Brandon’s film is a true testament to the journey of finding where we all fit in life. It’s like a puzzle. There are so many pieces within each of us: The people we cherish most, our dreams and goals, our hopes for our own future. Travel, family, 17 dogs, a hot tub and a great book…. Everyone on this earth has a different perspective, and a different view of what happiness or home looks like for them. Sometimes certain puzzle pieces fit perfectly without question, other times it seems like pieces wouldn’t go together at all, but when you try them, they fit. Certain puzzles take way longer to finish than others… My point is that our differences simply highlight that we are working on our own puzzles. They aren't better or worse, but they create a different picture at the end. Our differences lead us to share our stories. 

I found great enjoyment in the way Brandon discovered some cultural similarities within his friend’s family at Christmas dinner. That part of Brandon’s film was truly touching to me, as it seemed he was made to feel extremely welcome, even seeing similar traditions between his friend’s family and his own. Like our differences, similarities should be celebrated too. Finding that kinship, relatability, those genuine “hey, I get that!” moments are crucial in cultivating human connection. When Brandon said, “even as a child I was never unduly stressed about my need to move more slowly up the stairs, or the need to refine my motor skills so I could write more legibly, or my propensity to fall more often than my peers..” I could relate to that greatly. As a child, I didn’t notice my own disability until my peers pointed it out to me. 

Brandon Wint is creating his puzzle. He’s walked through challenges, celebrated successes and will continue to collect his pieces along the way, innovating his art. His film is a tribute to individually, both the little things that make us feel at home, and the things that make us feel like  one of a kind. Brandon’s film will be one of many; he’s got more puzzle pieces to find for us. Find this stunning short film below…