I'm mad about it all.
The way she walks home from school at 12
with black sneakers and neon laces
the color of yellow
that blinks my eyes for a second look
and Abercrombie in white
on gray sweat pants, as big as life,
plastered across the back of her ass
that might as well say,
"come get me already!"
The second yellow bus grinds up the street
shortly after.
Her brother steps out, walks in the door,
and rattles off a question,
"does she get her period yet?"
Mind you, he's barely 8 -
still wears his jeans like high waters
and has a darth vader hat on the edge of his bureau
facing the last edition of Curious George.
At 15, this girl Ellis I knew in middle school
had her trophy of a stained sheet
from some guy, Donny.
I never knew more than his name
and that by 17 he split his insides like an egg yolk
in a freak car accident.
Sex was a French Kiss
that made me spit out the first time
as though it were a sin
and that was the only option.
My my how things have changed.
A contest entry
- Raw Like Steak Tartare by MJ Donnelly.
2000 points, ended April 12, 19 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 13 of 13
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Well, you've laid it out ...
fairly graphically without being offensive about it. That's a razor's-edge that's hard to walk, so I'd have to say kudos on a job well done.
Sadly, it's a one-way road, and there's no going back. The only thing that would slow the train down now, or might, is if we bombed each other into near oblivion.
Aside from that, the clock keeps on ticking and the kids get savvier all the time, about all the wrong things; but still a third of them can't read.
Happy Holidays.
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It's what sells, and we've sold our kid's innocence out. It saddens me, too. You wrote it like it is.
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the poem is good thing that happen every day i love line 20 though
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thanks a million...
Kim
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So truthfully beautiful, stirring, nicely done
...Congrats on the HM.
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this is such a beautiful description of fond childhood memories. so well told.
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what always gets me is seeing the kids in grade seven and eight...the girls look more like they're eighteen, not thirteen.
It's sad kids aren't allowed to stay kids long. They grow up way too fast.
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I'm amazed when I talk to kids at the age of 12 and they say "I'm so tired"... I mean, what are they going to look forward to in life if they are already feeling worn down when all they should be doing is playing?? They get it from too many of us as adults that start to spin as fast as the world has become, the learning to rush around and that there's no time for anything.
My friend's daughter is 13. I'm afraid to let her walk to the store when I'm watching her as she is one of the children that looks quite like she's 17. I forget even sometimes - then it's a stark reminder when I see her put on a shirt skirt just to go up the street. If she were to look her age, it would not be an issue.. but my god it scares me as to the world doesn't see her as her age. (don't they make barbie dolls and mud pies anymore?)
(big sigh) ... could go on and on forever on this one. eek!
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I love writes like this, the personal introspections and stories of youth.
All the best,
mj.
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indeed they have
I despise those pants with words across the ass
it's .. obscene, in some sense
have you seen the ones that say 'juicy'?
I mean really
who advertises their ass as juicy and thinks it is a good thing..
Yeah.. I remember
the french kiss
the way just the touch of a hand sparked feelings I was unfamiliar with..
weren't in such a hurry then, were we?
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haven't seen the "juicy" yet. I cringe every time I see those pants. Abercrombie wanted something like $40 for them and I looked at the girl (my little cousin) and told her she was nuts and I'd never get them if they were free even.
That first kiss -lol... this kid, Bobby, stole my bike. So, I went to his house to get it back and he went to kiss me and I thought I was going to puke. I think I was barely that age (12) at the time. I had another little friend of mine go and punch and smack him upside the head - literally. Years later I ran into the "kisser" in a college hallway and that came to mind as clear as day again. I almost died laughing at him. (poor guy).
thanks for the "reads" today. the compliments made me day with these. guess I went to sleep with more motivation than I even realized.
Kim
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Wow, this poem spells it out just like it is, or has become, Kim. Strange, my sisters and I had discussion about these same things last night...all change isn't good. I read a report of Unicef about youth affairs some time ago and the "corruptness" of youth in developed countries (the UK took the honours as having the most corrupt youth - i think the USA was about 5th on the list) - well, according to the report. I am no angel but i think our world is suffering from moral degeneration...so yes, the "my my" at the end is something most of us agrees with. A thought-provoking piece, very relevant for the times we live in.
~ Nicolette
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At 12 I remember wishing I could climb the high branches of a tree. These kids are coming home and wondering when they can watch the next Saw movie and have all seen the nudity as though it were typical. I always say to them "not on my watch" about what they're exposed to. I hope they at least take some of what I say so they will have more respect for themselves like we were to have when we were young. The rushing these things in life to get a "rush" that should be left for maturity is simply shocking and disgusting. (sigh).
Thanks for relating to this oh so well.
Kim
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