Shane Koyczan and His Ingenuity

I have never been more impressed with a written work than I am with Shane Koyczan's The Crickets Have Arthritis. With his "slam monologue," for lack of a better phrase, Koyczan turns an otherwise potentially simple story into a poetic orgasm. At first glance, the title doesn't make much sense; even while reading or listening to the monologue, the title is seemingly irrelevant. But when he gets to the sixth paragraph, Koyczan reaches the "moral of the story" and conveys his view on life and the fairness of who experiences the miracles it provides. It's his portrayal to Louis, a nine-year-old boy dying of cancer, of the possibility of him receiving one of those rarities we call miracles.

"The truth is: there's not enough miracles to go around kid, and there's too many people petitioning God for the winning lotto ticket. And for every answered prayer, there's a cricket with arthritis, and the only reason we can't find answers is because the search party didn't invite us. And right now, Louis, the crickets have arthritis."

There's a sort of arthritic tone in Koyczan's voice when he expresses his empathy with Louis; the knots he swallows while trying to force out impossibly depressing words create an ailment to his ability to properly tell Louis he's not going to make it. But why would it ever be easy to tell a nine-year-old boy he's going to die? Notwithstanding, however, the devastating story of Louis dealing with cancer, Koyczan kills the negative mood with an inspiring attitude and a desperate need to force to reader to understand that we've got it good. Louis, at the age of nine, understands more about selflessness, the values of life, and the world as a whole than anyone I've ever known. He knows, with aid of a monster that wants to take his life, that his life is worth something and that every single thing he has is a reminder that whether or not he makes it, he's done everything possible in the time allotted to him.

And even if Louis is merely a fictitious character, his voice is louder than any I've heard. And through Koyczan's rhymes through the lines, he creates a flow, which is what Louis wants out of life. He wants more than anything a road without bumps, which is why he cherishes the smooth parts of his journey. He takes each bit for what it's worth and holds it tight to his soul.

Life is slightly on the uneventful side for the time being, so thinking about this piece was something to get my mind off my own lackluster life.