Youth is many things, and in response to the Weekly Writing Challenge I’ve come up with this poem. Enjoy!
An unwanted burden
you carry or
a fruit unharvested,
unripened and rich?
Either way, it’s still a—
The girl running breathless in the snow
the wizened scholar at her oak desk
the nervous painter at his first art show
the determined boy standing at the pitch
Youth remains by your side, a loyal—
But now it eludes you, slips through your creased fingers
hides under pampered cheeks and stylish shoes,
hazarding appearances in soft smiles; never does it linger
leaving only laugh scars where once youth grew.
Hurry, gather what is left and preserve it in a ditch
Too late, it’s already gone, that sneaky—!
Some say youth is a blessing, a birth rite,
a bold stone, weathered not withered by the sea;
the beloved years, the black days, the winged bird in flight
but either way it’s still a B.
Here are some other Backwords thoughts on youth, age and other splendid things:
- Ilya Fostiy. Amnesia | Crazy Art
- Ilya Fostiy. Muse | The Bliss of Reality
- Youth Insults My Intelligence | Bumblepuppies
- The Illusive FEAR of Getting Old | Musings | WANGSGARD
- Weekly Writing Challenge: Golden Years | In my world
- Looking Back (and Traveling) | JGTravels
- Thoughts on Aging | melissuhhsmiles
- Yelp for help…… | Obsessive Compulsive Running…….
- Youth is a B— | The Backwords
- Riding Into The Sunrise
- Weekly writing challenge- golden years | A picture is worth 1000 words
- The Defining Number | Through The Eyes Productions
- I am not my mother | Twisting Suburbia
- Weekly Photo Challenge – Perspective | Joe’s Musings
- Artfully Aspiring
- Wisdom of a Toddler | Artfully Aspiring
- I Couldn’t Wait | Fish Of Gold
- Young or old? Here’s how to tell | The Crayon Files
- The Elders of Us | Wired With Words
- Aging with grace and acceptance | Ezhealthcents
- I’m a Writer, Yes I Am
- Weekly Writing Challenge: Golden Years | imagination
- Thirsty thirties | Scent of Rina
- Weekly Writing Challenge: GOLDEN YEARS | Thinking Languages!
- Wholehearted living… One day at a time. | masknolonger
- You’re As Old As You Feel | A Day In The Life
- Social Media has changed me | The Bohemian Rock Star’s “Untitled Project”
- Golden Years | Icezine
Very clever
Thank you! I thought I’d have some fun with the age old question of age.
As I am coming up to my birthday this week I could use some age related humour – so thanks.
Anytime!
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Beautiful poem, made me think 😉
http://standinginthestorm.wordpress.com/2014/03/10/counting-the-scars-weekly-writing-challenge/
I’m glad that I have written something thoughtful!
I quite enjoyed your piece on age as well, it was like a mash up of so many faerie tales I’ve read over the years, but it is still so original. Were you thinking faeries and witches and goblins when you wrote the post?
It really was I loved it… You know actually I was, as well as lots of Beatrix Potters stories (Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddleduck..) Then I just sorta mashed them I guess… 😀
Well I like the end product a lot — dare I say more than some of the originals.
Aw, Thank you, That’s so amazing of you to say 😀
beautiful
Thank you. I don’t know why but I was feeling the letter B today.
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I agree. I wouldn’t do it again, but it was (as all times of life) a great thing. 🙂
I think I need some real distance to appreciate my youth, it would probably shave away some of the bitterness.
I think the hard thing about being a post-adolescent is that there’s so much happening biologically and there are so many expectations in place for what it’s supposed to be like to be young (both good and bad). I didn’t even see my high school experience for what it actually was until 40 years later!
Words of wisdom flow from your mouth. I am at the point where I am questioning every decision I make, every course I take, every word I write. Sometimes the anxiety goes away and sometimes it just nudges, constantly, until I question why I even bother doing anything.
I am so scared I’ll do it wrong. What exactly this “what” is I don’t know, which is a source of more anxiety. Should I get my masters? Should I intern? Should I get published? So many things to consider that sometimes I wish life didn’t present so many freaking options.
And then the anxiety goes away and I feel fine for a while. I don’t know Martha, sometimes not knowing is good and sometimes it irritates the marbles out of me.
I don’t think that ever goes away. We think it will but I’m in the same place now, trying to figure out whether to retire or not, move to Colorado, and if so, where, and what do I want next and what’s the right thing and why did I make the commitment to teach, could I have made it as a writer? I think we have hurdles all the way through. I didn’t always think that — but sometime in my thirties (and I notice it in all thirty-somethings now) I really felt like, “Oh man, I’d better figure it out NOW.” Thirty-somethings are pretty stressed because they think 40 is old and they have to figure things out and straighten out the world before they’re forty (this is all a matter of biology [biological clocks DO wind down] and social chatter just like when a person’s 19 or 20.
And at 60 well, a person can’t pretend (to themselves) that they’re young any more and the NEXT change is pretty intense and permanent. I don’t really have regrets looking back on my life, but I made a lot of mistakes and I feel a lot of pressure because I can’t afford another big mistake (as I’ve made in the past) because I probably won’t have 20 years to make it right (seems to be the usual time it’s taken to straighten out my mistakes 😉 )
As for writing, you can’t mess up as long as you do it. As long as you do it, consciously, you’ll improve. That’s a sure bet! 🙂
I think I am too hard in myself. We are too hard on ourselves. My delusion is seeing life as some unified image, a puzzle that needs to be figured out, as if placing one piece means another will follow. I have realized that life is a puzzle, a jumble of pieces that do not quite fit together or create a unified image. Life’s moments are slivers from the endless avenues that we could have taken, should have taken, might have taken; all strong together. I see this, but I choose to see the whole picture. The pretty image that gets solved when I’m thirty.
But hearing you say that it doesn’t get easier is a relief. It makes worrying pointless.
I think I’ve conquered the anxiety for a little bit, put it to rest. Now it’s time for me to follow. Good night or morning or afternoon where you are. Thanks for your voice.
Thank you for yours 🙂
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Your wonderful poem really made me contemplate aspects of youth I had previously overlooked. So used to society’s fixation on youth, I never considered it to be a burden. You articulate such a refreshing perspective so vividly and with rich humor!
Thank you! Considering that the idea came from a lot of frustration. I guess that frustration shows!
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Wonderful! I love it!
Thank you! It may be a little blurry through the screen, but I have a big smile plastered on my face.
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This definitely brought a smile to my day! I love how you break it up with the uncompleted lines.
Thanks, this poem was new form me, good to know it worked out.
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Love the pace of the poem and the call to action ‘gather what is left and preserve it in a ditch’ and the metaphor of scars too. Beautiful poem.
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