Heath Ledger

Year 9 students were invited to take part in an in-school poetry competition based on the study of dramatic monologues. Oliver Manner’s was inspired by the tragedy of Heath Ledger, Hollywood actor who died just after the release of his final starring role as Joker in Batman (2008).

Exhausted troubled captivator. But I wasn’t finished; well at least it was fun while it lasted, I suppose. Put myself out of my own misery, I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t breathe. But I didn’t do so bad I suppose, I was celebrated by many.

I was more than just a psychopath but that’s all they remember, I laughed manically, and ordinarily but they only remember one. I had many roles, on screen and off, but they only remember the make-up, the scars. Do you want to

Know how I got this far? Distraction. However, you can’t ignore something forever; after a while it comes crawling back, louder each time, sometimes with an unwelcome friend or a way to deceive you. This is not what I wanted; my

mind just wouldn’t stop t-t-t-turning, now I’m gone, but I’m still restless. I had statues thrown at my body which would only now sleep. Why must a thousand hands pay tribute to me? Do I deserve this? Well, they seem to think so.