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Lifelines

Monica R., Stamford, CT

By Lauren E., Gilford, NH

Here, souls escape their lifelong baggage on the third floor
and take the elevator up.

Away from the machines that breathe
waiting below, not permitting death or life.
Where the chemical they use
to clean the floor and cook the food is a thin veneer
to the smell of decay lurking in the rooms with all the wilting people.

Metal-eyed, they roll the trays around every so many hours
measuring only quantity to keep you alive
and to put you to sleep
at the same time.
Routinely they record the number of breaths
taken by lungs that can no longer laugh.

They tried to fix his weary heart by replacing it
with a sleek new one.
Couldn’t be broken anymore, they liked to laugh, but I knew
he’d be back too soon, unhooking his plastic
lifelines and turning his bed toward the window
so he’d be able to look up at the sky.

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Copyright 2007 by Teen Ink, The 21st Century and The Young Authors Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher: The Young Authors Foundation, Inc.

Teen Ink is a national teen magazine, book and website featuring teen writing, information, art, photos, poetry, teen issues and more. All articles are written by teen authors who are students at schools. The monthly print magazine is appropriate for any teenager -- teenagers age 13 to 19 attending secondary school: junior high school, middle school and high school. This publication is used by professional people including English teachers, writing teachers, language arts instructors, journalism teachers, school newspaper advisors, librarians, guidance counselors, K-12 principals in addition to the PTA or PTO. Each issue of Teen Ink magazine contains a wide variety of student work: we publish nonfiction, fiction, poems, community service, sports, heroes, interviews, college essays, college reviews, book reviews, concert reviews, movie reviews, music reviews, video reviews, video game reviews, the environment, opinion, sports, pets, cars, automobiles, travel and culture, jobs and money, health issues, artwork, photographs, cartoons, short stories, essays, writing contests, a college directory and the website also has a bulletin board and resources for teens and educators. Subjects include racism, eating disorders, depression, death, suicide, family, relationships, jobs, grandparents, violence, the college process, college information, colleges, driving, self esteem, the arts, movies and more. Teen Ink is also a book series published by HCI Teens. Subjects covered in the book include Friends, Fitting In, Love, Challenges, Family, Heroes, Loss and Memories. Teen Ink was established in 1989 as The 21st Century magazine by The Young Authors Foundation, a nonprofit organization. More than 25,000 teens have been published in the magazine and its companion Poetry Journal. Teen Ink runs a London Summer Program for teenage writers.