I wrote this poem a long long time ago, over twenty years ago. The sad, or maybe scary, thing is that, all these many years later, it still seems about as true as it did back then.
I never quite finished the poem, thus it ends a little abruptly.
Teenage Eye View of Life
Good things change and are gone forever.
Friendships die, ties are severed.
Bad things, things that hurt remain.
Is it possible to withstand the pain?
Unhappy days drag on and on.
Sunshiny days do not last long.
Moods change, tears fall.
No one seems to hear at all.
Nights are restless, days are cold.
Love is needed, a hand to hold.
A long embrace to dull the pain.
But no one cares, the hurt remains.
Hopeless future, if one at all.
Questions big, answers small.
When I was in my early 20's, I shared this poem with another human being for the first time, shared it with my first serious relationship and my only relationship up to that point, the "love of my life" as a young woman. He ended up giving it back to me after awhile, with his own addition.
Teenage Eye View of Life
Good things change and are gone forever
Friendships die, ties are severed
Bad things, things that hurt remain
Is it possible to withstand the pain?
Unhappy days drag on and on
Sunshiny days do not last long
Moods change, tears fall
No one seems to hear at all
Nights are restless, days are cold
Love is needed, a hand to hold
A long embrace to dull the pain
But no one cares, the hurt remains
Hopeless future, if one at all
Questions big, answers small
The Father whispers of things tomorrow
Through all the tears and all the sorrow
Take no thought of this dark hour
My name is Faithful, a Mighty Tower
Questions big, answers small
All is Christ and Christ is all
Selah
Beautiful, yes?
Of course, then later because of his own extreme emotional distress he dumped me for the millionth time. And sometime later I penned the following, which also still feels true so many years later.
Quick, hot tears
Something inside has died
Hope deferred
Too long, perhaps
Numb
Existence on a level of continual dull pain
Flat, like the line on a heart monitor
Like a paper doll
Life in a one-dimensional plane
With no feeling but the flatness
Going through the motions of daily life
No energy left. So tired.
Only the tears which come so readily
