One Step Ahead | Teen Ink

One Step Ahead

August 20, 2011
By Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
"il piu nell' uno," (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)

"Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality" ~Emily Dickinson

"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain"
~Kahlil Gibran


(Shuddering) They kept coming back

Each time with different names and different stories
But always with that same blankness
Crawling beneath their skin
Faces pulled taut by snarls wearing the costume of grins
A phantom mien which reached across a crowded room
They would slip little notes
Into open doors and open hands
No one ever saw them going about on their dark business
Their shadows walked on a higher plane of existence
You tried to tell them boldly:
“Prepare for a crash landing!”
But they only sneered
At your spark of hope, as it smoldered out, beneath a clump of ash

Their sighs inhuman, like deflating balloons
When gun or hot breath was pressed
To the back of their pale necks
They are the Hollow Men
You first began to die
When the little, red clown sitting in the corner of the room
Pointed out the thousands of eyes
Twinkling in the ceiling of your bedroom
You tried to tie a noose from the handkerchiefs
Which he kept pulling from his laughing mouth
But you ended up tangled
In the ringing sound
Of his taunts
Their taunts

What’s left to trust
Drains from your closed fists
Whenever you shove it right under somebody’s nose
He never knows who’s in on it
You know to what I’m referring
The plan, the game
Your prison
Your life (now, that is)
So take his hand, will you, you pretty daughter of the outside?
Run away together, or try, at least

All the while
They are idly checking the hourglass
Which floats behind their unblinking eyes
It’s measuring the sands of time
Until somebody has to really die
So will you retire?
Or will you keep creeping down in that Cadillac
Through the sounds of gunshot in the nighttime streets?
Whatever you decide
They will be watching
And grinning
Because they always stay one step
Ahead of the game


The author's comments:
What do you feel?

Because I look at hundreds of blank faces, whenever I go into the city at night. And sometimes I wonder:
Is there anything else?

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This article has 35 comments.


on Dec. 15 2011 at 8:03 am
RedFeather GOLD, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
12 articles 0 photos 155 comments

Favorite Quote:
Prose is like walking but poetry is like dancing.
—Paul Valery, poet (1871 - 1945)

Your work never ceases to amaze me, raven. Perhaps because they're all pretty relateable to me in one way or another. The only way to survive in their game is to change the rules and stay three steps ahead, or if you're not, at least pretend to be. They say to hate the game, not the players, but it's pretty hard not to hate both sides of that dark.

. said...
on Sep. 25 2011 at 10:19 pm
(shakes head)

on Sep. 24 2011 at 7:42 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
"il piu nell' uno," (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)

"Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality" ~Emily Dickinson

"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain"
~Kahlil Gibran

You haven't the courage to reply?

Boosflash said...
on Sep. 24 2011 at 2:42 pm
............................ ..........

on Sep. 24 2011 at 1:15 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
"il piu nell' uno," (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)

"Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality" ~Emily Dickinson

"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain"
~Kahlil Gibran

Then let the dance be done! And let the audience of ghosts and demons and snowmen curl around the stage which we we have all neglected.

on Sep. 23 2011 at 7:20 pm
Boosflash DIAMOND, Papillion, Nebraska
55 articles 0 photos 2066 comments

Favorite Quote:
What the front door.

Tres bien,tres bien,love 11 + 13 and the part aboit dyimg and the hollow men and the clown and being tangled and I LOVE THE LAST STANZA.it woild be conducive for u to do ur dance at the time which is now.

on Sep. 4 2011 at 8:58 pm
savetheplanet PLATINUM, Anaheim, California
45 articles 9 photos 564 comments

Favorite Quote:
It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

WOW.  Alors, je suis un papillon de parchemin?  Ensuite, tu es un corbeau des poetes!

on Sep. 4 2011 at 12:17 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
"il piu nell' uno," (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)

"Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality" ~Emily Dickinson

"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain"
~Kahlil Gibran

Flutter, flutter, vous les papillons de parchemin!
Je dois utiliser l'ordinateur en bas effrayant, cependant.

on Sep. 3 2011 at 2:32 pm
savetheplanet PLATINUM, Anaheim, California
45 articles 9 photos 564 comments

Favorite Quote:
It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

Je peux parler français, mais je ne comprends pas espagnol.  Stargirl, qu'est-ce que tu dis esprits agités?

on Sep. 3 2011 at 2:05 pm
IamtheshyStargirl PLATINUM, Lothlorien, Utah
44 articles 16 photos 2206 comments

Favorite Quote:
Boredom instigates extreme creativity.
~Amoniel

"Bowing gratefully to all of my subjects, 'thank you. Thank you. The pleasure is mine." Nah, I'm just kidding. We're all kings together.'"
~Thesilentraven

Comme des bouts de papier déchirés, tirant sur les bords d'unesprit agité.
Je vois que vous pouvez poster des commentaires une fois de plus.

on Sep. 3 2011 at 1:00 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
"il piu nell' uno," (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)

"Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality" ~Emily Dickinson

"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain"
~Kahlil Gibran

Il perdute significato delle parole sarà orbita il mondo sconosciuto.

Io stesso sono, ma a volte è difficile cantare su di esso.


on Aug. 31 2011 at 5:48 pm
IamtheshyStargirl PLATINUM, Lothlorien, Utah
44 articles 16 photos 2206 comments

Favorite Quote:
Boredom instigates extreme creativity.
~Amoniel

"Bowing gratefully to all of my subjects, 'thank you. Thank you. The pleasure is mine." Nah, I'm just kidding. We're all kings together.'"
~Thesilentraven

Maar je bent jezelf, ben je niet?
(Ik begin me af te vragen hoeveel er verloren gaat hier door vertaling.)

on Aug. 30 2011 at 9:00 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
"il piu nell' uno," (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)

"Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality" ~Emily Dickinson

"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain"
~Kahlil Gibran

Yna, gadael i fy nghalon yn cael ei agor, i lifo'n rhydd tan wyf yn rhad ac am ddim fy hun.

on Aug. 30 2011 at 5:01 pm
IamtheshyStargirl PLATINUM, Lothlorien, Utah
44 articles 16 photos 2206 comments

Favorite Quote:
Boredom instigates extreme creativity.
~Amoniel

"Bowing gratefully to all of my subjects, 'thank you. Thank you. The pleasure is mine." Nah, I'm just kidding. We're all kings together.'"
~Thesilentraven

Rhannu, bob amser ac am byth. Gymraeg yn iaith hardd a chymhleth.

on Aug. 29 2011 at 8:08 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
"il piu nell' uno," (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)

"Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality" ~Emily Dickinson

"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain"
~Kahlil Gibran

A ddylai calonnau cael ei rannu neu eu cadw?

on Aug. 29 2011 at 4:37 pm
IamtheshyStargirl PLATINUM, Lothlorien, Utah
44 articles 16 photos 2206 comments

Favorite Quote:
Boredom instigates extreme creativity.
~Amoniel

"Bowing gratefully to all of my subjects, 'thank you. Thank you. The pleasure is mine." Nah, I'm just kidding. We're all kings together.'"
~Thesilentraven

Che non si è tradotto in modo così chiaro, forse si potrebbe provare di nuovo?

on Aug. 28 2011 at 1:53 pm
savetheplanet PLATINUM, Anaheim, California
45 articles 9 photos 564 comments

Favorite Quote:
It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

LOL, I was blind, but now I see.

on Aug. 28 2011 at 12:29 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
"il piu nell' uno," (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)

"Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality" ~Emily Dickinson

"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain"
~Kahlil Gibran

In that case, I am unspeakably honoured. :)

Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Aug. 27 2011 at 9:11 pm
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
Henry Drummond

Well, Lady Gaga, to me, is very creative and unusual and I'm just a huge fan of hers. I was so glad when she came out with her new album. And I'm so happy whenever a new poem of yours comes out! :)

on Aug. 27 2011 at 5:17 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
"il piu nell' uno," (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)

"Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality" ~Emily Dickinson

"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain"
~Kahlil Gibran

Devono essere conservati o cuori offerti?