Thoughts on Life From A Teenage Atlas | Teen Ink
  1. Home
  2. Poetry
  3. Free Verse
  4. Thoughts on Life From A Teenage Atlas

Thoughts on Life From A Teenage Atlas MAG

October 5, 2011
By Gwgideon GOLD, Commerce Twp, Michigan
More by this author
Gwgideon GOLD, Commerce Twp, Michigan
11 articles 0 photos 14 comments
View profile

I feel like Atlas
Holding the sky up
Protecting everyone under it
When never getting any rewards or rest myself

As everyone eats and parties
I'm stuck here
Doing the hardest work in the world
While everybody else prospers off my suffering

And even as I protect everyone
People still make fun of me
They punch me
And I can't punch back because I'm too busy protecting them

People say my muscles are strengthening
But what's the point of building your muscles
When all you are going to use them for
Is holding up the sky?

My old friends have tried to help me hold the sky up
But once they realize that I won't ever be able to play games with them again
They spit on me
And walk away, leaving me with my burden once more

Alone I stand here
Day after day
Night after night
Imagining what my life would be like if I wasn't stuck here

But what is the point
Of dreaming about things that will never be?
Dreaming about pleasure and happiness
While I'm stuck in a swamp of depression and pain

So here I am, rambling on
Praying and begging Aeolus for a gust of wind
So that my overheated, sweaty body
Can be cooled off for a few seconds

© Emily E., Marblehead, MA

Post a comment
Submit your own

Similar Articles

Previous Next
Poetry
Different
By sHaDoWnInJa PLATINUM
West Jordan, Utah
sHaDoWnInJa PLATINUM, West Jordan, Utah
31 articles 0 photos 3 comments
View profile
Poetry
Lightning
By Rachel Bellah BRONZE
Seattle, Washington
Rachel Bellah BRONZE, Seattle, Washington
4 articles 0 photos 1 comment
View profile
Poetry
The Backyard
By CarlyG GOLD
Emmaus, Pennsylvania
CarlyG GOLD, Emmaus, Pennsylvania
10 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do." H. Jackson Brown Jr.

View profile
Poetry
One Piece... One Destiny
By Matt Groy GOLD
Park City, Utah
Matt Groy GOLD, Park City, Utah
11 articles 0 photos 0 comments
View profile
Poetry
unnamed
By Mew13 SILVER
Princeton, New Jersey
Mew13 SILVER, Princeton, New Jersey
5 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;If there were to be a universal sound depicting peace, I would surly vote for the purr.&quot;<br /> (Barbara L. Diamond)

View profile
Poetry
Sing it Out Loud
By Poe_poe SILVER
DeMotte, Indiana
Poe_poe SILVER, DeMotte, Indiana
7 articles 0 photos 0 comments
View profile

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 25 comments.

AmberKat9999 SILVER said...
on May. 25 2017 at 1:46 pm
AmberKat9999 SILVER, New Bedford, Massachusetts
5 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
Peace and Confidence/ Jeremiah 29:11

View profile
This really was an amazing piece. I could connect with you were saying. Please keep writing. You have a way of engaging with the readers.
CammyS SILVER said...
on Dec. 3 2012 at 4:52 pm
CammyS SILVER, Papillion, Nebraska
5 articles 0 photos 188 comments

Favorite Quote:
No passion in the world is equal to the passion to alter someone else&#039;s draft. <br /> H. G. Wells <br /> Don&#039;t say the old lady screamed. Bring her on and let her scream. <br /> Mark Twain

View profile
I can totally connect with what you're saying! This piece is amazing and totallly deserves to be in the magazine. The mood was constant throughout the entire story and that is very hard to do, especialy in poetry! I love it!
GummyBearQueen2 SILVER said...
on Aug. 28 2012 at 12:28 pm
GummyBearQueen2 SILVER, Johannesburg, Other
8 articles 3 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Everything will be okay in the end. If it&#039;s not okay, it&#039;s not the end&quot;- I&#039;m not sure, so I&#039;m going to say anonymous.

View profile
  Wow... I cannot express how much awe is emanating from me right now. You are one of the best writers that I have ever encoutered!  You completely immerse the reader in what you say. Please, do the world a favour and keep writing! I know at least one person who is subscribing to you... :D  
remember16 SILVER said...
on Aug. 27 2012 at 2:44 pm
remember16 SILVER, WhiteLake, Michigan
9 articles 0 photos 44 comments

Favorite Quote:
This is only a minor setback to a major comeback

View profile
this is so amazing!   
writer3499 GOLD said...
on Aug. 16 2012 at 4:42 pm
writer3499 GOLD, New Bedford, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 196 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;it&#039;s impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might has well not have lived at all-in which case you fail by default.&quot;<br /> -J.K.Rowling

View profile
Wow this is seriously amazing! I loved how you kept the mood the whole peice....it felt likeI can feel how depressed you are.  Fantastic job! If you get the chance, would you mind checking out some of my work? Thanks!
WebDave123 BRONZE said...
on Aug. 6 2012 at 11:20 am
WebDave123 BRONZE, Boston, Massachusetts
1 article 0 photos 20 comments
View profile
Test comment.
thatclarinetgirl12 BRONZE said...
on Aug. 3 2012 at 9:41 am
thatclarinetgirl12 BRONZE, Point Pleasant, West Virginia
2 articles 0 photos 15 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing it&#039;s stupid.&quot;-Albert Einstein

View profile

i love this! i saw atlas as i read it. keep writting

 

irishlass317 said...
on Aug. 2 2012 at 5:18 pm
irishlass317, Jefferson City, Missouri
0 articles 0 photos 134 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;I asked Jesus &#039;How much do you love me?&#039; He answered &#039;This much.&#039; And He streched out His arms and died.&quot;

View profile
This is soooooo amazing!!! I love it and can totally relate!!! :D Great job!!!! :)
poetic.eyes PLATINUM said...
on Jul. 30 2012 at 4:11 pm
poetic.eyes PLATINUM, Everson, Washington
23 articles 3 photos 198 comments

Favorite Quote:
eARTh

View profile
Wow! This poem is superb. It seems to be filled to the brim with metaphors! Love it!
foreverSmall PLATINUM said...
on Jul. 29 2012 at 4:25 pm
foreverSmall PLATINUM, Brighton, Michigan
23 articles 0 photos 37 comments

Favorite Quote:
Psalm 23:2-4

View profile
I love this piece. It is well thought out and looks like you put all your emotions into it. That's probably the best way to do it, write a poem. I'd like to read more of your work, great job (: 
Shahiro PLATINUM said...
on Jul. 25 2012 at 12:56 pm
Shahiro PLATINUM, Johnston, Iowa
20 articles 2 photos 262 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Soon we must all choose between what is right and what is easy.&quot; - Dumbledore (Goblet of Fire)

View profile
This is cool. I love Greek mythology and I think this is a well written take on what Atlas had to do, what he might have been thinking... Ps. Please check out my work????????
annie.j02 GOLD said...
on Jul. 25 2012 at 11:14 am
annie.j02 GOLD, Elverson, Pennsylvania
12 articles 2 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last, you create what you will&rdquo; &ndash; George Bernard Shaw

View profile
This is beautiful and creative. Good job
Sail_ BRONZE said...
on Jul. 24 2012 at 1:02 am
Sail_ BRONZE, Eugene, Oregon
3 articles 10 photos 196 comments
View profile
wow, this was really captivating! my eyes were glued to each word and line.. i love the way everything flows! keep writing, and i hope more people see the emotions you put into this piece of work!
Songs_Along GOLD said...
on Jul. 15 2012 at 5:55 am
Songs_Along GOLD, Abcd, Other
16 articles 0 photos 65 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Sometimes we are only given a few minutes to be with the one we love and a thousand hours to spend just thinking about them.&quot;

View profile
nice symbolic poems....i cud relate to it very well..good job :)
AllThatJazz BRONZE said...
on Jul. 9 2012 at 11:21 pm
AllThatJazz BRONZE, Columbus, Ohio
3 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
Lindi: Life isn&#039;t about waiting for the storm to pass, it&#039;s about learning to dance in the rain<br /> June: Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you&#039;ll land among the stars

View profile
I just wanted to express my amazement- I wrote a poem this year called 'Holding Up the Sky' and it's about the same sort of thing. It just goes to show how many people really feel this way, like they're holding the sky up and that their burden is so huge. I'll comment again when I've posted it, but in the meanwhile- WOW. You wrote this beautifully and I am really impressed. I love the message this poem gives out, and I'm hoping to read more of your works in the future.
flywiththebirds SILVER said...
on Jul. 4 2012 at 7:54 pm
flywiththebirds SILVER, Vancleave, Mississippi
6 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
Revenge is sweet, but forgiveness is sweeter.<br /> <br /> Revelations 21:23<br /> <br /> But what is the ocean but a multitude of drops?

View profile
This describes just how I feel sometimes, taking care of everyone else even though they make fun of me.
flywiththebirds SILVER said...
on Jul. 4 2012 at 7:54 pm
flywiththebirds SILVER, Vancleave, Mississippi
6 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
Revenge is sweet, but forgiveness is sweeter.<br /> <br /> Revelations 21:23<br /> <br /> But what is the ocean but a multitude of drops?

View profile
This describes just how I feel sometimes, taking care of everyone else even though they make fun of me.
flywiththebirds SILVER said...
on Jul. 4 2012 at 7:54 pm
flywiththebirds SILVER, Vancleave, Mississippi
6 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
Revenge is sweet, but forgiveness is sweeter.<br /> <br /> Revelations 21:23<br /> <br /> But what is the ocean but a multitude of drops?

View profile
This describes just how I feel sometimes, taking care of everyone else even though they make fun of me.
Randomscreennamelalalala PLATINUM said...
on Jul. 4 2012 at 2:39 pm
Randomscreennamelalalala PLATINUM, Bonney Lake, Washington
23 articles 0 photos 33 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.<br /> -Albert Einstein

View profile
I just want to say thank you for getting it right- Atlas held up the sky, not the Earth. 
allaboutmylife PLATINUM said...
on Jul. 3 2012 at 8:51 pm
allaboutmylife PLATINUM, Miami, Florida
25 articles 0 photos 24 comments
View profile
this is so well written and what you're trying to portray does show and i espcially love that you based it on greek mythology