Am I My Brother's Keeper? | Teen Ink

Am I My Brother's Keeper? MAG

By Anonymous

Who is my brother?
Another offspring of my mother?
Or is he the guy on the street corner
begging for money?
Is my sister the girl selling her body
to feed the mouths of her hungry kids?
Was it my friend who got drunk
and died from hitting a tree?
Am I my brother’s keeper?
Should I tell the person next to me
where that road will lead them?
Should I support a hungry
child in Africa whose eyes
well up in tears every day?
Tell me who is my brother.
Who is my sister.
Tell me their story.
Tell me their problem and ask
Are you your brother’s keeper?



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This article has 64 comments.


on Jul. 14 2010 at 4:16 pm
bbygurl21 PLATINUM, Boston, Massachusetts
29 articles 0 photos 111 comments

Favorite Quote:
sticks n stones my brick my bones but words cant

i love this poem so much keep writting i am goin 2 give u 5 starts for this work

trblue GOLD said...
on Jul. 12 2010 at 4:20 pm
trblue GOLD, Richmond, Virginia
14 articles 7 photos 141 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Too often we lose sight of life's simple pleasures. Remember, when someone annoys you, it takes 42 muscles in your face to frown. It only takes 4 muscles to extend your arm and slap that mother@#?!&* upside the head. "

its verry good i love it and it does not remind me of sister keeper.

Jessyka8985 said...
on Jun. 24 2010 at 7:38 pm
so true very deep to

on May. 11 2010 at 5:34 pm
singdance7 SILVER, Davenport, Iowa
8 articles 4 photos 31 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Do what you can with what you have with where you are" Teddy Roosevelt i think
"I love life because what more is there" Unknown
"Remember, the future comes one day at a time" Unknown

Bravo! Great Message! You truly have the writers gift!

on May. 11 2010 at 3:16 pm
Lost-In-Life GOLD, Whitby, Other
11 articles 0 photos 299 comments

Favorite Quote:
It's never to late, if it weren't for the last minute many things would never get done!

This is an amazing poem. It's really deep. Wow! Luv it! <3 

paperflowers said...
on Mar. 28 2010 at 8:39 pm
paperflowers, Imaginary, Indiana
0 articles 0 photos 176 comments
beautiful :)

Artemis_Girl said...
on Mar. 28 2010 at 6:10 pm
wow...I'm...speechless! It's beautiful and it flows so well!

on Mar. 6 2010 at 8:11 pm
Omigosh!! that is really good. I wish I worte as good ask you. it started to make me tear up a little. Nice work.

on Feb. 12 2010 at 11:16 pm
Alyssa(: PLATINUM, Arvada, Colorado
20 articles 2 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when their right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust noone but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together."
— Marilyn Monroe

This is so pretty! Never stop wrting!

zobean GOLD said...
on Feb. 12 2010 at 9:13 pm
zobean GOLD, Northfield, Massachusetts
16 articles 1 photo 33 comments

Favorite Quote:
"A Good player inspires themselves. A GREAT player inspires others."

This is beautiful, keep writing. do you mind checking my work?

on Feb. 12 2010 at 1:11 pm
Alesha_4 BRONZE, Omaha, Nebraska
1 article 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
Nothing in life is to feared..But it is only to be understood

Woow!!! I love this.

Keep writing!!

ash2011 GOLD said...
on Jan. 21 2010 at 4:46 pm
ash2011 GOLD, Middletown, Ohio
10 articles 5 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
I'm Just one of those regular weird people- Janis Joplin

Really good,awesome job (=

on Jan. 21 2010 at 4:28 pm
wow, i love this and when i looked at the top i saw you were a fellow hoosier and then i thought 'hey, she good go to the IMA for poetry too!' i know this piece was not meant to be poetic [or atleast wans put in the poetry part of the website] but it sounds like my favorite freeform poem ever. theres a unique summer program at the IMA and it will open a lot of oportunities. theres also creative writing if you'd wanna check it out. keep doing what your doing cause it rox!

on Dec. 30 2009 at 10:09 am
jake2011 DIAMOND, Cheyenne Wells, Colorado
74 articles 5 photos 27 comments

Favorite Quote:
"With God all things are possible" Matthew 19:26

That was a great. I loved it. It touched me because I ask myself that question sometimes. Great job.

kasras said...
on Nov. 22 2009 at 2:50 pm
wow the first piece that made me cry in 20 second

on Nov. 16 2009 at 7:45 pm
4everluvjc BRONZE, Plantation, Florida
3 articles 0 photos 44 comments

Favorite Quote:
nothing is impossible with God! Try him and you'll see :)

Wow! This was awesome. I'm speechless

Bood Addict said...
on Nov. 16 2009 at 5:23 pm
I think you did well on this piece, and it really has meaning to it. I'm currently writing a paper on Cain and Abel and yes--this is one of the biblical allusions within the story. I love this one allusion in particular, because it's such a now statement. Are we responsible for our fellow man? Kudos on this! Great Work!(:

on Oct. 24 2009 at 6:04 pm
FlyleafFreak DIAMOND, Loveland, Colorado
51 articles 0 photos 203 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I have faith in fools;self confidence my friends call it"~Edger Allan Poe
"In this world of infinite insanity, your friends are the best psychiatrists you will ever have."~Me

Yes, you are your brothers keeper. Real brother or not, you hear about it and you wish you could have been there to change something. The guilt and sadness would be unbearable. If it really was your brother, then you would feel a tremendous amount of guilt, you would never get over it. You are always your brothers keeper and you will always have a brother to keep.

Sophaloaf said...
on Oct. 13 2009 at 8:34 pm
The title is an allusion to the biblical story of Abel and Cain (a story of the first murder. Cain kills Abel). When God asks Cain "Where is your brother?" Cain replies "Am I my Brother's Keeper?", meaning "Am I responsible for my brother? Am I his babysitter/guardian?"

It's a very intriguing piece. I enjoyed reading it.

on Aug. 20 2009 at 7:14 pm
Electricity PLATINUM, Bradenton, Florida
30 articles 0 photos 271 comments
I like this idea. It's sad in a way how a sibling feels pressure to take care of their family. Great job! :D