3 minutes and 47 seconds | Teen Ink

3 minutes and 47 seconds MAG

July 28, 2009
By Hay_Wire PLATINUM, Independence, Missouri
Hay_Wire PLATINUM, Independence, Missouri
42 articles 0 photos 219 comments

I spent exactly 3 minutes
And 47 seconds
Searching for you

I stood in the post office
In front of the counter
That holds the antique stamps
Yellowing, curling
Taking in age

I was watched by the
Kidnapper,
The boy who broke in on a dare
One too many times,
The man who forgot to pay his
Rent, parking tickets, and visa,
The rapist
And the woman
Who ran away
With her bruises
In tow.

All their eyes
Printed on a missing
Or wanted
Sheet of paper
But I did not see
Your eyes

I spent exactly 3 minutes
And 47 seconds
Ignoring the polite request
From the lady
At the counter.

“Can I help you, ma'am?
Do you have a question? Anything to mail?
Ma'am … Are you all right?”

I spent exactly 3 dollars
And 47 cents
On postage
To mail back
Your T-shirt
You left on my floor
Your letters
Your heavy scent
And even your love
Or what I could catch of it

And then I walked out
The door
Past the old man
Checking his mail
On the wall of empty boxes.

Exactly 3 days from now
And 47 minutes after I start my day
I will find
A package
There on my doorstep
With one red stamp of ink

Proclaiming that
You
Your address
Could not be found
And I will know
That I have tried
For long enough.



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This article has 11 comments.


on Aug. 9 2010 at 11:50 am
MelanieLouise PLATINUM, Plymouth, Minnesota
37 articles 0 photos 81 comments

Favorite Quote:
to live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong

i love the simplicity and the story. great and beautiful work. keep writing, Mel (: oh and check out some of my work, i would love to hear your opinions.

on Aug. 3 2010 at 11:48 pm
rawrpiranha SILVER, Godfrey, Illinois
8 articles 2 photos 9 comments

oh my god, this is amazing!

it really just like..idek. i loved it. :)


on Jan. 28 2010 at 4:22 pm
Poet_in_Motion PLATINUM, Sharon, Massachusetts
24 articles 0 photos 40 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Love one another." –George Harrison (his last words)

"and down they forgot as up they grew" –e.e. cummings

"The sea is just a wetter version of the sky..." –Regina Spektor

This poem is precisely beautiful. I love the concept, although it did make my eyes tear up a bit. Congratulations on getting your poem published, by the way! You deserve it.

on Jan. 19 2010 at 8:17 am
foolslikeme GOLD, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
10 articles 2 photos 10 comments
so tragic. at first I thought "you" were the woman behind the counter, looking out for a dangerous criminal

but I love this new take on a broken heart - a lost address

on Sep. 1 2009 at 2:10 pm
RachelEliza PLATINUM, Virginia Beach, Virginia
23 articles 0 photos 28 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 theyre right, and sometimes good things fall apart so that better things can fall together -Marilyn Monroe

wow, its a very heart wrenching and interesting concept. i love it:) could you take a look at som eof my work? id like ur opinion on some of them please.

Jennax3 SILVER said...
on Aug. 22 2009 at 8:46 pm
Jennax3 SILVER, Palos Verdes Estates, California
6 articles 0 photos 113 comments
This is amazing, amazing, amazinggg! You are so talented :]

on Aug. 17 2009 at 5:44 pm
RheaD.Ravenfinger BRONZE, Juneau, Alaska
4 articles 0 photos 94 comments

Favorite Quote:
1 Corinthians 13:4-8

wow

on Aug. 13 2009 at 3:52 pm
RadioShower PLATINUM, Rio Rancho, New Mexico
23 articles 5 photos 69 comments

Favorite Quote:
Emo is imaginary - Gerard Way
Normalness leads to sadness -Phil Lester (AmazingPhil)

wow that was so cool! it was sad and amazing wright more!!!

(Thanks for your comment your the first!)

on Aug. 12 2009 at 9:58 pm
kiwi12 PLATINUM, Austin, Texas
28 articles 10 photos 365 comments
I adore your work, it's amazing! agreeing withe dreamer!

on Aug. 7 2009 at 9:51 pm
SkaterGurl17 GOLD, Jasper, Georgia
11 articles 3 photos 24 comments
love it!!!!!!!! this should soooooo be in the mag!!!

on Aug. 6 2009 at 1:47 am
jennee21_ann GOLD, Helper, Utah
17 articles 0 photos 568 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Don't gain the world and lose your soul....wisdom is better than silver or gold."

"You can always close a book, but you can never close the mind of a writer."

wow! this is a hearttugging piece and i absolutely loved it. i almost wanted to cry and i loved how you constructed it and how you put so much emotion in it! great great great job :) check out some of my work!