The Girl with the Glasgow Grin | Teen Ink

The Girl with the Glasgow Grin

February 6, 2012
By NickyJ BRONZE, Hyde Park, New York
NickyJ BRONZE, Hyde Park, New York
1 article 0 photos 138 comments

Favorite Quote:
“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.” ~Robert Frost


I see the monument in the distance
And a blossom blooms in my brain.
My feet stop dead in their tracks,
Omniscient of the lots around them.
January shivers down my spine,
Unlocking a memory I want to forget;
But I see her face every-time.
She has no name.
They call her The Girl with the Glasgow Grin.

My heart beats heavy
When I think of her.
I see her:
Her laugh, her fear, her plea;
A life clipped short.
But they don't care;
She's a present to them, a mystery wrapped in enigma,
Just as the Wolf-Man sent.
She is more to me, a part of me.
Why? Why do I feel this horrific bond?
I never knew her.
I never knew The Girl with the Glasgow Grin.

My eyes haven't tricked me, time has.
I see her there, lying among the clumps of brown grass,
Arms beckoning in false exaltation,
Her dreams eaten by weeds.
The curls of her black petals,
Burnt wisps in stagnant air.
Warm skin melted to ivory;
Translucent eyes turned opaque.
They rejoice at the sight of her, the Fiends!
This is all she is to them:
The Girl with the Glasgow Grin.

They like to gossip
And libel her.
She's the gutter w*****, the flashy escort, the exotic temptress.
She's divided, stem cut.
The flower preserved in perversity,
The roots tainted by noir.
But I see her unscathed:
Sweet.
Kind.
Naïve.
Lost, trying to find her way.
What have they done to you?
You are more than what they have made you.
You are more than The Girl with the Glasgow Grin.

I know the truth
But I am just one.
I can't stop them. They won't listen.
They need only what the Wolf-Man has given.
I want to tell her it's not her fault.
I want to tell her it's okay.
But she can't hear me;
She's a memory now,
Silenced in a world where she can not speak,
Can not feel,
Can not cry her liquid tears.
What about me? I come back to myself.
I should be moving on, yet I linger
So that I might catch a glimpse
Of The Girl with the Glasgow Grin.

The author's comments:
This is the first poem I've written in six years. I'm not sure why I felt so compelled to write this. It's dark, but it has deep personal meaning to me.

This is the first in a collection of three.

Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 145 comments.


NickyJ BRONZE said...
on Mar. 31 2012 at 12:50 pm
NickyJ BRONZE, Hyde Park, New York
1 article 0 photos 138 comments

Favorite Quote:
“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.” ~Robert Frost

Yeah, I get that alot. Anyway, Thank you for the feedback!

on Mar. 31 2012 at 10:15 am
SpringRayyn PLATINUM, Lakeville, Minnesota
34 articles 2 photos 658 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Don&#039;t punish yourself,&quot; she heard her say again, but there would be punishment and pain, and there would be happiness too. That was writing.&quot;<br /> --Markus Zusak, &quot;The Book Thief&quot;

This poem is interesting, but confusing too. It made sense, but it made me think; which, I guess, is a good thing.

NickyJ BRONZE said...
on Mar. 28 2012 at 6:04 pm
NickyJ BRONZE, Hyde Park, New York
1 article 0 photos 138 comments

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;In three words I can sum up everything I&#039;ve learned about life: it goes on.&rdquo; ~Robert Frost

Thank You for the feedback!

Ariya GOLD said...
on Mar. 28 2012 at 3:42 pm
Ariya GOLD, Charleston, South Carolina
12 articles 1 photo 25 comments

Favorite Quote:
Some men just want to watch the world burn.<br /> -Alfred (Batman Begins)

This is packed to the brim with meaning and I like the descriptions.

NickyJ BRONZE said...
on Mar. 28 2012 at 1:26 pm
NickyJ BRONZE, Hyde Park, New York
1 article 0 photos 138 comments

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;In three words I can sum up everything I&#039;ve learned about life: it goes on.&rdquo; ~Robert Frost

Thanks for reading!

on Mar. 28 2012 at 1:25 pm
Sugar_Chinchilla BRONZE, Munising, Michigan
2 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
&quot;The radius of 85 centimeters is the distance I can swing around.<br /> I&rsquo;ll always try my best to rise above it, give me one more day just wait and see~&quot;

This is /very/ lovely. ;3;

Loving the descriptions and the over all creepy-ness~


NickyJ BRONZE said...
on Mar. 24 2012 at 11:32 pm
NickyJ BRONZE, Hyde Park, New York
1 article 0 photos 138 comments

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;In three words I can sum up everything I&#039;ve learned about life: it goes on.&rdquo; ~Robert Frost

Thank you Kate! I'm glad you liked it :)

KateLA GOLD said...
on Mar. 24 2012 at 10:49 pm
KateLA GOLD, Everett, Washington
11 articles 20 photos 194 comments

Favorite Quote:
Don&rsquo;t you find it Funny that after Monday(M) and Tuesday(T), the rest of the week says WTF?<br /> -Unknown

I'm really impressed with your descriptions, you kept the drama going all throughout your poem. I love how you came up with great lines such as, 'The flower preserved in perversity,'-that was a great one, you really have talent!

NickyJ BRONZE said...
on Mar. 22 2012 at 5:04 pm
NickyJ BRONZE, Hyde Park, New York
1 article 0 photos 138 comments

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;In three words I can sum up everything I&#039;ve learned about life: it goes on.&rdquo; ~Robert Frost

Thank You!

on Mar. 22 2012 at 3:49 pm
ValentinesEyes BRONZE, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
2 articles 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
When life hands you lemonds,<br /> make lemonade!<br /> IKIE!

This was so beautiful! I enjoyes reading it :)

NickyJ BRONZE said...
on Mar. 21 2012 at 7:26 pm
NickyJ BRONZE, Hyde Park, New York
1 article 0 photos 138 comments

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;In three words I can sum up everything I&#039;ve learned about life: it goes on.&rdquo; ~Robert Frost

Thank you :)

However the "series" is finished. It's only the 3 poems. I might write a short story using the same inspiration, but I haven't figured out all the details.


on Mar. 21 2012 at 7:18 pm
Princesspiper84 SILVER, Lodi, New Jersey
7 articles 0 photos 22 comments

Favorite Quote:
Motto: There&#039;s no life without death, mistakes, and missury

Not bad nicky............ I really like it. not bad..... Keep writing this series.

NickyJ BRONZE said...
on Mar. 20 2012 at 8:38 pm
NickyJ BRONZE, Hyde Park, New York
1 article 0 photos 138 comments

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;In three words I can sum up everything I&#039;ve learned about life: it goes on.&rdquo; ~Robert Frost

Thank You. You're the first person to mention the pauses :)

NickyJ BRONZE said...
on Mar. 20 2012 at 8:36 pm
NickyJ BRONZE, Hyde Park, New York
1 article 0 photos 138 comments

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;In three words I can sum up everything I&#039;ve learned about life: it goes on.&rdquo; ~Robert Frost

Thank You!

SWKit_kat said...
on Mar. 20 2012 at 2:45 pm
I love your word choice and the flow of the poem. Great use of pauses.

BrianaK BRONZE said...
on Mar. 20 2012 at 2:22 pm
BrianaK BRONZE, Waterford, Wisconsin
1 article 0 photos 24 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot; Keep Believing&quot;

This is amazing!!!! Keep Writing!!!

NickyJ BRONZE said...
on Mar. 19 2012 at 4:20 pm
NickyJ BRONZE, Hyde Park, New York
1 article 0 photos 138 comments

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;In three words I can sum up everything I&#039;ve learned about life: it goes on.&rdquo; ~Robert Frost

Nice figurative language XD

And thank you for reading! I'm glad I could inspire you :)


NickyJ BRONZE said...
on Mar. 19 2012 at 4:18 pm
NickyJ BRONZE, Hyde Park, New York
1 article 0 photos 138 comments

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;In three words I can sum up everything I&#039;ve learned about life: it goes on.&rdquo; ~Robert Frost

Lol thanks. Your drunk talk really isn't so bad, it might even be better than your sober talk :3

on Mar. 18 2012 at 10:47 pm
tonia primo BRONZE, Colonia, Other
2 articles 0 photos 5 comments
That girl with the Glasgow grin, she drowns in their shadows like the sun collapsing into thick couds. This is a beautifully written piece. Keep writing. You have inspired me.

Thorn BRONZE said...
on Mar. 18 2012 at 8:46 pm
Thorn BRONZE, Baltimore, Maryland
1 article 0 photos 100 comments

Alrighty. Feedback...feedback...feedback...?

 

Um, so, let's see. Positive.

First of all, it had this great vibe to it. Creepy/beautiful, kinda like the mood.

Second of all, I'm super tired, so don't expect me to make sense.

Third, I swear my feedback is usually helpful.

Fourth, I really liked it.

Fifth, the imagery was amazing.

Sixth, I can't believe I'm still numbering these things.

Seventh, I loved the refrain.

Eighth, good job! I really liked it.

XD