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Along the Way MAG

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

© Erek S., Wolfforth, TX

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JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 216 comments.

Presley96 said...
on Dec. 2 2011 at 9:43 pm
Presley96, Roseland, Virginia
0 articles 0 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
There are people who laugh to show their fine teeth; and there are those who cry to show their good hearts.<br /> Joseph Roux

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I agree, but it is a great piece of poetry
Wintergrl7 GOLD said...
on Dec. 2 2011 at 9:31 pm
Wintergrl7 GOLD, Hopkinton, Massachusetts
19 articles 3 photos 17 comments

Favorite Quote:
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.<br /> &mdash;William Arthur Ward<br /> The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge.<br /> &mdash;Daniel J. Boorstin

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LOVE IT. it seems as though the words start flowing together but then theres that awkward sentence, 2 dif writing styles that make the tempo weird
Ella1 GOLD said...
on Dec. 2 2011 at 5:49 pm
Ella1 GOLD,
14 articles 7 photos 137 comments
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I love this, neat perspective. If you have a chance would you mind reading some of my work?
niner PLATINUM said...
on Dec. 2 2011 at 5:39 pm
niner PLATINUM, Hartville, Ohio
32 articles 0 photos 31 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Isn&#039;t it funny how you broke my heart, but I still love you with all the pieces?&quot;<br /> &quot;It&#039;s easy to stand in a crowd, but it takes courage to stand alone&quot;<br /> &quot;What would you attempt if you knew you could never fail?&quot;

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this was very unique! i like it alot :) very creative.
heather_marie PLATINUM said...
on Dec. 2 2011 at 12:58 pm
heather_marie PLATINUM, Deshler, Ohio
21 articles 2 photos 62 comments

Favorite Quote:
\\\&quot;Meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was a choice, but falling in love with you was beyond my control

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wow i'm speechless!
MarissaWhitecloud SILVER said...
on Dec. 2 2011 at 9:56 am
MarissaWhitecloud SILVER, Oskaloosa, Iowa
7 articles 0 photos 84 comments
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 was a really good article. Very well written.
garthgirl8888 BRONZE said...
on Nov. 10 2011 at 8:39 pm
garthgirl8888 BRONZE, Long Beach, California
2 articles 0 photos 20 comments
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WOW! So good...
Dreammer GOLD said...
on Nov. 10 2011 at 3:25 pm
Dreammer GOLD, Montrose, Pennsylvania
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Favorite Quote:
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Well written please look at my work and cOmment... Everyone I want honest so I can better my writing k thanks :)
itlovedtohappen GOLD said...
on Nov. 10 2011 at 12:45 pm
itlovedtohappen GOLD, Ocala, Florida
10 articles 0 photos 32 comments
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This is a very beautiful piece with a unique perspective and writing style. I love it!! Keep writing, :)
Rikki-Lynn BRONZE said...
on Nov. 10 2011 at 10:39 am
Rikki-Lynn BRONZE, Lincoln, Maine
2 articles 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
Love is true you just have to believe in your self!!!!!!!

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wow I love this !!!!!!!!! you are a very good writer good job!!!!!

 

AmayaSakaruta said...
on Nov. 10 2011 at 9:02 am
AmayaSakaruta, Borger, Texas
0 articles 0 photos 35 comments

Favorite Quote:
From out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole, i thank whatever gods may be, for my unconquerable soul. -William Earnest Henley<br /> Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil. -the Bible

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i like how you made it hopeful. like things will be messed up, but at least simple things will still be good. pleez feedback on my work?
BeingAnna GOLD said...
on Oct. 19 2011 at 7:41 pm
BeingAnna GOLD, Montreal, Other
13 articles 0 photos 24 comments

Favorite Quote:
Imperfection is beauty<br /> -Marilyn Monroe

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Wow thsi has brought tears to my eyes. Everything about this is truly beautiful. All I can say is wow.
Ally1832 SILVER said...
on Oct. 19 2011 at 7:40 pm
Ally1832 SILVER, Bark River, Michigan
5 articles 1 photo 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
Wipe away the tears and walk away

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I really enjoyed this poem, I love the way your wrote it.
MakaylaS. GOLD said...
on Oct. 19 2011 at 5:03 pm
MakaylaS. GOLD, Fairfax, Virginia
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Favorite Quote:
&quot;Starve a Bully, Feed your Soul, STAND GRAND.&quot; -Vincent Castronovo

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This was AMAZING. one of my absolute favorite poems. you really deserve to be an author or poet someday! again, AMAZING job! <3
SophieG. SILVER said...
on Oct. 19 2011 at 4:36 pm
SophieG. SILVER, St. Davids, Pennsylvania
5 articles 0 photos 47 comments
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Very good job! Check out my work!
KCayla GOLD said...
on Oct. 19 2011 at 2:27 pm
KCayla GOLD, Stillwater, New York
12 articles 2 photos 48 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;I brought a cupcake, and I brought Apollo&quot; - My Best friend, implying that I was like Apollo :D

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wow, that was totally not a waste of time. good job.
-Char- GOLD said...
on Oct. 19 2011 at 10:00 am
-Char- GOLD, Council Bluffs, Iowa
17 articles 0 photos 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
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WOA!
You sound like you have ALOT of experience, like your... your... a PRFESSIONAL, DUDE(or dudett) YOU SHOULD GET PAYED TO WRITE!!! :D 
IT WAS GLORIOUS!
I would actaualy be HONORED if you were to read some of my newby poems x)
DarknessForever13 SILVER said...
on Oct. 19 2011 at 8:17 am
DarknessForever13 SILVER, Gainesville, Texas
5 articles 0 photos 51 comments

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Quoth the Raven: &quot;Nevermore!&quot;<br /> &quot;What&#039;s right isn&#039;t always popular, but what&#039;s popular isn&#039;t always right.&quot; - Unknown

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This was a great poem, you captured the essence of life itself, an kept my heartstrings taut till the end. Keep writing, You are and amazingly mature writer,  and you are going to go far!
singingdetective SILVER said...
on Sep. 27 2011 at 9:13 am
singingdetective SILVER, Sugar Land, Texas
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This is one of the most professional and mature poems I have seen ever! It sounds so well developed and flowing, as though you've been writing poetry for ages. The best comparison I make is to Robert Frost, that's how deep and intelligent this poem really sounds. FANTASTIC JOB! :D
zadiekatie23 PLATINUM said...
on Sep. 5 2011 at 7:23 pm
zadiekatie23 PLATINUM, Rio Rancho, New Mexico
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Amazing. Just stunning. I - Wow. I'm really at a loss for words.