A Children’s Festival Childhood
I watched them rise around me
Engulf and surround me
I knew this city by heart
I could tell each flower and puddle apart
I knew each boardwalk, backdoor and secret spot
I knew each juggler and singer, no one forgot
I was the princess of this town
For it was my mother who wore the crown
The queen,
And the most courageous I had ever seen
I watched her command this land
To it?s pinnacle
She could solve every pickle
I was set free, each breath full of art and dance
And for a week I was in this trance
Jumping between shows
Going where I wanted to go
At school a no show
There was no crevasse undiscovered
No activity left unbothered
Soaring my ideas alongside my freshly made kite
I was in flight
It seemed the unreachable was in sight
I could be whatever i wanted
Like a chameleon
I was proud and I flaunted
My personality
Ideas sprouted like beans
And grew all around me
This Festival taught me to explore
To learn to give and share more
For I was its child
And it showed me all that was wild
About my imagination and my ability
To create and that is where my life
Began to take shape.
Cydney Paddon is a Vancouver-based artist of sorts, I flux between poet, painter, dancer, actor, performer and choreographer. Growing up immersed in Vancouver’s festival and theatre culture has lead
me to a life of creative exploration and at the moment a Visual Arts under graduate degree at SFU. In the foot steps of my mother Lindy Sisson (who gave me the opportunity to experience the
Children’s Festivals in and outs) I have a passion for community, hip hop, all ages culture and running events. I look upon this life as one creative endeavor after the next so thank you Kids fest
for yet another amazing opportunity.