The Boy and the Wall
A boy took all his bricks
and built a wall around himself.
The wall was strong and the boy
made mortar of his stubbornness.
He thought the wall would protect him.
The boy constructed a box,
took out his heart and placed it inside.
From the safety of the wall
he heard it beating.
Keep on, Keep on, Keep on.
The boy misunderstood the rhythm
and continued building until he
was surrounded by a fortress.
He could not understand why
the wall offered no comfort.
It was only when the emptiness
inside of him spilled out
and the beat was almost silent
that he understood what to do.
Keep on, Keep on, Keep on.
The boy tore down the bricks
letting sunlight through the shadows.
He freed his heart from the prison he’d made
and when it raced to freedom
he leapt over the ruins and followed.
Keep on, Keep on, Keep on.
and built a wall around himself.
The wall was strong and the boy
made mortar of his stubbornness.
He thought the wall would protect him.
The boy constructed a box,
took out his heart and placed it inside.
From the safety of the wall
he heard it beating.
Keep on, Keep on, Keep on.
The boy misunderstood the rhythm
and continued building until he
was surrounded by a fortress.
He could not understand why
the wall offered no comfort.
It was only when the emptiness
inside of him spilled out
and the beat was almost silent
that he understood what to do.
Keep on, Keep on, Keep on.
The boy tore down the bricks
letting sunlight through the shadows.
He freed his heart from the prison he’d made
and when it raced to freedom
he leapt over the ruins and followed.
Keep on, Keep on, Keep on.
This poem is copyright (©) Emma Phillips 2025

About the Writer
Emma Phillips
Emma lives, teaches and writes in a small town in Devon. She has been writing poetry and stories for decades but this is her first work for children. When she is not daydreaming, she likes to eat crisps