Birthdays | Teen Ink

Birthdays MAG

December 10, 2008
By Jilybeanrb SILVER, Prentiss, Mississippi
Jilybeanrb SILVER, Prentiss, Mississippi
6 articles 0 photos 32 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Margo was not a miracle. She was not an adventure. She was not a fine and precious thing. She was a girl." ~Paper Towns


I met you at Jessica’s fourteenth birthday party,
where we stayed up all night on the couch.
I don’t remember a word of what we talked about
but I can still see you there, with the blanket on your lap,
and you were laughing. Always laughing.
I’m glad we became best friends.

I was there for your fifteenth birthday –
we watched “Flushed Away” at the Grand.
We laughed about it as we ate cake
in the glass party room where everyone could see us.
I’m sure that if they noticed you, what they saw was that
you were so alive.

You were there when I turned fifteen, and we ate at Friday’s.
I took a picture of you there.
Your dad has it now, he keeps it with him.
And I haven’t eaten there since.

Jessica didn’t celebrate her fifteenth birthday the same –
by then, you were gone.

For your sixteenth birthday, all your friends gathered
at your grave, and we wrote you notes.
We rolled them up tight and put them in balloons.
We sent the balloons away and pretended
you would get them.

I turned sixteen.
I lit a candle; I wished you were there.

Saturday is your seventeenth birthday.
And it’s hard to believe.
This year, I think we will try to forget.
But your impact, it’s still here.
It’s like tiny craters in my skin.
And I will always remember you,
through all the years.
Through all the
birthdays.



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This article has 98 comments.


on May. 27 2010 at 5:22 pm
mpacheco15 BRONZE, Montclair, New Jersey
4 articles 0 photos 21 comments
I think it's okay without it. It's just like saying: She didn't celebrate her birthday that same way as whoever/ whenever. She had left a.k.a. died.

on May. 27 2010 at 4:54 pm
olympian-queen, Charleston, South Carolina
0 articles 0 photos 39 comments

Favorite Quote:
Yesterday is history. Tommorrow is a mystery. And today? Today is a gift that's why they call it the present.

i liked the concept. at first i was a little confused with who died..Jessica or someone else. i now understand what's going on. try revising the line that says "Jessica didn't celebrate her 15th birthday the same- by then, you were gone." this line was what confused me. if you add a because after same, then it would probably make more sense.

hey waz up said...
on May. 21 2010 at 12:03 pm
very touching, you should write a book about her

hi waz up said...
on May. 21 2010 at 12:02 pm
wow! beautiful

on May. 18 2010 at 5:59 pm
Kerstin White BRONZE, Williamsfield, Ohio
1 article 1 photo 4 comments
Wow. This is amazing.

on May. 16 2010 at 8:45 pm
hannahbee7 DIAMOND, Boca Raton, Florida
67 articles 1 photo 65 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You know you’re a writer if your friend tells you a heartbreaking story and your first reaction is – wow, that would make an incredible plot for a novel. You know you’re a smart writer if you manage to keep that reaction to yourself."

I favorited it! This was wonderful, I can't really relate but I just spent months writing a novel about loosing a best friend. Poems and stories like this inspired me so much! I just wanted to thank you and say I'm sorry for your loss. My 15th birthday is tomorrow. 

Mspi18 BRONZE said...
on May. 5 2010 at 9:17 pm
Mspi18 BRONZE, Lawrence, New York
1 article 5 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
Groucho Marx

anytime, great work 

on May. 5 2010 at 2:43 pm
Patience97 PLATINUM, New Tripoli, Pennsylvania
27 articles 8 photos 135 comments

Favorite Quote:
"People believe that if we really want to eliminate something, focus on that. How much sense does it make for us to give the particular problem all of the energy, as opposed to focusing on trust, love, living in abundance, education, or peace? -Un.

Sorry for your loss :( Sometimes I feel like I've lost my friends, so, you're not the only one :(

on May. 5 2010 at 2:42 pm
Patience97 PLATINUM, New Tripoli, Pennsylvania
27 articles 8 photos 135 comments

Favorite Quote:
"People believe that if we really want to eliminate something, focus on that. How much sense does it make for us to give the particular problem all of the energy, as opposed to focusing on trust, love, living in abundance, education, or peace? -Un.

This is a really nice piece. I love all writing with a meaning of something more behind it -- you did just that :))

on May. 5 2010 at 11:09 am
Jilybeanrb SILVER, Prentiss, Mississippi
6 articles 0 photos 32 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Margo was not a miracle. She was not an adventure. She was not a fine and precious thing. She was a girl." ~Paper Towns

Awe thank you. That means alot to me ♥.

Mspi18 BRONZE said...
on May. 5 2010 at 10:18 am
Mspi18 BRONZE, Lawrence, New York
1 article 5 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
Groucho Marx

oh my gosh. this is a beautiful piece. definatly one of my favorties. its so moving and so personal. glad you could put it out there. you must truely be very strong.

on Apr. 14 2010 at 12:37 am
Jilybeanrb SILVER, Prentiss, Mississippi
6 articles 0 photos 32 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Margo was not a miracle. She was not an adventure. She was not a fine and precious thing. She was a girl." ~Paper Towns

Well this is what I get for posting so late at night. Sorry guys, wrong button, this was supposed to be a reply.

on Apr. 14 2010 at 12:37 am
Jilybeanrb SILVER, Prentiss, Mississippi
6 articles 0 photos 32 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Margo was not a miracle. She was not an adventure. She was not a fine and precious thing. She was a girl." ~Paper Towns

You're welcome. I'm glad it could help in some way. I know it's the hardest thing.

on Apr. 14 2010 at 12:36 am
Jilybeanrb SILVER, Prentiss, Mississippi
6 articles 0 photos 32 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Margo was not a miracle. She was not an adventure. She was not a fine and precious thing. She was a girl." ~Paper Towns

You're welcome. I'm glad it could help in some way. I know it's the hardest thing.

on Apr. 13 2010 at 9:21 pm
Sweatheart SILVER, BPT, Connecticut
5 articles 0 photos 76 comments

Favorite Quote:
I can do anything

wow this poem is realy good and very sad keep on writing im sure a lot of people can realte to this poem

on Apr. 13 2010 at 8:21 pm
SOSaiXD PLATINUM, Oviedo, Florida
35 articles 1 photo 23 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Always believe that everything happens for a reason. If you give God long enough to prove His point, He will always blow you away."

I just recently lost a close friend, so that poem really touched me. Thank you.

on Mar. 22 2010 at 5:18 pm
LiquidSky PLATINUM, Libby, Montana
20 articles 2 photos 23 comments

Favorite Quote:
Poetry is an echo, asking a shadow to dance.
-Carl Sandberg

Wow this make me choke up its soo amazing

on Feb. 28 2010 at 4:55 pm
a.warren BRONZE, Billings, Montana
1 article 0 photos 17 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Fear only fear it`s self"

O my god i am so sorry. Do you hate it when peolpe say i know how you feel

on Feb. 28 2010 at 11:55 am
Infinite_Possibility BRONZE, Galloway, Ohio
1 article 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Its My Life, Not Yours."

"I Make My Own Decisions."

"Live Your Life To The Fullest."

"Be With The Person Who Makes Your Happy,
No Matter What Anybody Else Thinks."

such a deep poem, with so many emotions. im sorry that you lost your friend.

on Feb. 14 2010 at 4:23 pm
Jilybeanrb SILVER, Prentiss, Mississippi
6 articles 0 photos 32 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Margo was not a miracle. She was not an adventure. She was not a fine and precious thing. She was a girl." ~Paper Towns

Thank you :) And yes, that's the absolute truth.