Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Another 3WW: Ache, difference, suffer

Ache Difference Suffer
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She hears another kid
talking about someone
committing suicide

and runs out of the room
with those words
chasing her

down the corridor.
They are drills
boring into her.

Each step
is a jackhammer
in her heart.

The hallway walls
are vices
squeezing, squeezing.

The guidance counselor
watches her suffer
wishing he could

absorb her ache,
her guilt for breaking
up with her boyfriend

and then learning
that he had taken
his own life.

But he is unable
to make a difference.
She returns to class

eyes red
a fist in her throat.
The other students stare.

I don’t want
to make matters worse
by singling her out.

But I am amazed
at her courage
to even come back

to class and face
the others. She doesn’t
know it yet

but she’s going
to be
okay.

9 comments:

Thom Gabrukiewicz said...

Nice construction on this. I'm glad she will be OK.

Lucy said...

wow, that is so touching. so very sad.
She is courageous and u are so sensitive to identify with her feelings.

Tumblewords: said...

Well written piece about a sensitive and timely topic. You are a wise and generous teacher as well as a talented writer.

Anonymous said...

This is fantastic - I'm a highschool visual arts teacher and I could clearly experience the words, they were well-written, paced and raw - excellent 3ww! thanks!

Anonymous said...

Linda, this is an excellent write and my hope is that it can reach teenage girls/ boys who are thinking of such things. Maybe your poem could be the catalyst against suicide. Well done. Have a nice night.

paisley said...

teen suicide is such a real factor in growing up.. even when i was in school we had three suicides ... it was surreal then,, and only now do i really understand the loss....

anthonynorth said...

A powefully expressed incident that no doubt happens all too often.
Excellently done.

Angie C. said...

This was so very descriptive! How I feel for all the teenagers and children now; life can be cruel. If only they could see beyond high school......there is hope for all.

Anonymous said...

I was never exposed to that as a teenager... every day stuff was crummy enough. I can't imagine dealing with that.

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