Along the Way | Teen Ink

Along the Way MAG

November 29, 2008
By Andrew Dobies GOLD, Long Grove, Illinois
Andrew Dobies GOLD, Long Grove, Illinois
11 articles 0 photos 2 comments

How many faces and birthdays will I come to remember
before my eyes shut for the last time
and I find myself in that closet I hid in that smelled of laundry softener
in the third grade because I didn’t belong in a girl’s house?
How many fingers and palms and fingernails
will I see amid how many trees, swinging green and happy branches in the spring
like the clasped hands of middle aged lovers who left the kids at home with a babysitter
so they could go for an afternoon walk?
I imagine there will be enough smiles and enough tears
that if I wanted to I could flood the city of New York
and swim through those blurred lights in the dead of an August night
and sing along with the crickets and the distorted sound of drowned car horns.
Hopefully I’ll have a bag of forehead wrinkles and boxes full of voices
from teachers and friends and train conductors
who say the most unimportant things like “May I see your ticket?”
Hopefully there will be shoes and coats from parties
and sloppy kisses on doorsteps in cold January nights
where my breath will be visible in the air and the ice near my feet
will sparkle and gleam in the periodic flicker of the dying bulb
in her porch light.
Even if things go wrong,
at least there will be the smell of honeysuckle and sweat
in my mother’s hair as she held me to her chest as I came fresh from the womb
and there will always be those fluorescent lights.



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This article has 216 comments.


on May. 1 2011 at 2:47 pm
praveen.Trichy PLATINUM, Thirchy, Other
25 articles 0 photos 57 comments

Favorite Quote:
cruel leaders are replaced only to turn other leaders cruel

thanks dude,,,,,,my articles are ONE COLD NIGHT,not to work more(essay)....and haiku's are save the trees,her heart..........

on Apr. 28 2011 at 4:39 pm
RideTheWave BRONZE, South Riding, Virginia
4 articles 0 photos 30 comments

ya sure! what is it called?

 


on Apr. 26 2011 at 10:32 pm
praveen.Trichy PLATINUM, Thirchy, Other
25 articles 0 photos 57 comments

Favorite Quote:
cruel leaders are replaced only to turn other leaders cruel

umm ya,i also write attempted to write a poem for a first time in teen ink and was published on line...if you like please look that and rate it or comment on it...i'll do the same for you

kaasha BRONZE said...
on Apr. 26 2011 at 8:35 pm
kaasha BRONZE, Roxbury Crossing, Massachusetts
4 articles 0 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not."- Kurt Cobain

nice! it was a great poem

on Apr. 26 2011 at 6:48 pm
Untouchable-Summer SILVER, Cranford, New Jersey
6 articles 0 photos 86 comments

Favorite Quote:
Even the best fall down sometimes

Great poem! And please look at my poem called Asthma, comment/rate it! I'll do the same for your work.

on Apr. 26 2011 at 5:57 pm
RideTheWave BRONZE, South Riding, Virginia
4 articles 0 photos 30 comments
thanks!!! it means a lot coming from another writher! 

on Apr. 26 2011 at 10:38 am
praveen.Trichy PLATINUM, Thirchy, Other
25 articles 0 photos 57 comments

Favorite Quote:
cruel leaders are replaced only to turn other leaders cruel

it's really great

on Apr. 4 2011 at 11:43 am
RideTheWave BRONZE, South Riding, Virginia
4 articles 0 photos 30 comments
This is really good! I am a new writer here! i just posted my first poem! plz go check it out!!!

on Apr. 4 2011 at 6:36 am
"I like to pride myself with the images I create in my poems, but I am willing to admit that your images are way better. It hurts to admit it, i must say, but it's true," I said as I burst out crying in front of the computer screen. "Please don't tell my parents."

on Mar. 13 2011 at 7:05 pm
overachiever-writing GOLD, Shillington, Pennsylvania
17 articles 0 photos 5 comments
Excellent job

on Mar. 13 2011 at 4:18 pm
rubyrainstorm SILVER, Closter, New Jersey
7 articles 0 photos 275 comments

Favorite Quote:
Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.
-Buddha.

This poem was interesting, I just felt it was a bit unclear towards the end. But overall, it was a beautiful poem. The words flowed together nicely, and the picture fit it perfectly. Keep writing

on Mar. 13 2011 at 2:45 pm
CarrieAnne11 GOLD, Potsdam, New York
11 articles 0 photos 22 comments
I absolutely love this poem. Good work!! It really makes you think and the imagery is perfect.

on Mar. 13 2011 at 9:11 am
Norma-Bernard GOLD, Moosic, Pennsylvania
14 articles 2 photos 26 comments

Favorite Quote:
"When a door closes, somewhere out there a window opens."

This poem is way cooooool! Awesome Job! :) I write a lot of poetry myself, and this really is eye catching. I am new to Teen Ink, so please check out my work!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep writing!!!!!!!!!

on Mar. 13 2011 at 12:41 am
TheOptimist BRONZE, Renton, Washington
2 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The pen is mightier than the sword"

I don't always read poetry but this specific piece caught my attention. I couldn't stop reading. This piece relates to what I ponder on everyday with every breath I inhale and exhale. You're a talented poet and writer. I look forward to reading more of your work.

on Feb. 19 2011 at 10:56 pm
Marblewolf SILVER, Locust Grove, Virginia
7 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to his (or her) commitment to excellence, regardless of his (or her) chosen field of endeavor.

I loved how all of the images were so vivid and striking but at the same time they were just bluntly tossed at you. It was chaotic but an appropriate choatic, because thats how life is.

on Feb. 19 2011 at 8:36 am
lilmo23 PLATINUM, Pompano Beach, Florida
27 articles 4 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
you never know how strong you are until being strong is the only option you have.

this is an awesome poem! i will probably have to read through it at least two more times. it's so good. !! hey if you get a chance can you check out my poems? feedback would be greatly appreciated! thanks so much! :)

ellie315 GOLD said...
on Feb. 19 2011 at 1:23 am
ellie315 GOLD, South Pasadena, California
10 articles 0 photos 86 comments

Favorite Quote:
"And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything." -- William Shakespeare

This is 999,999,999x better than the #1 poem right now.

So beautifully crafted.


on Feb. 3 2011 at 12:27 pm
i really like this poem

on Jan. 28 2011 at 3:20 pm
LoveisHappiness97 BRONZE, Freeport, Texas
1 article 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
There was a Curse , There was a Girl , and in the end , There was a grave

I love how it talks of everthing people go through. And how they will find on their way also.

on Jan. 23 2011 at 2:17 pm
PerfectMGymnast DIAMOND, Parker, Colorado
57 articles 25 photos 633 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If you don't leap you'lll never know what it's like to fly"

wow! i love this! you are very good with description and i could envision this poem so well!! Also, If you get the chance could you check out some of my poems such as A Mirror Image & The Sinners Confession (and comment and rate them??) It would be greatly appreciated! THANKS!! :):)