ChapStick | Teen Ink
  1. Home
  2. Poetry
  3. Free Verse
  4. ChapStick

ChapStick MAG

July 12, 2013
By thisisascreenname BRONZE, Sugarloaf, California
More by this author
thisisascreenname BRONZE, Sugarloaf, California
4 articles 0 photos 32 comments
View profile

Her stupid lip-glossed lips
on his stupid dumbstruck face
and I give them a few months
tops
but it's still irritating
I mean, do you REALLY
have to suck face
in the middle of the frickin' hallway?
I just want to get to my locker
as a sigh passes through my chapped lips
and a giggle through hers
and I smear on the cheap ChapStick
88 cents at Easy's
where it smells like smoke and the potheads go
while the radio plays
and the man in the stainy white tank
rings up your purchase “sweetie”
and the radio always plays
ninetee-three-three Kae-Bee-H-UR
this tiny ChapStick
stings my unloved lips
all tenderness dying on top of them
sighing out only cynicism
I mean, isn't love great?
for stupid, shallow people
and stupid lip-glossed lips
when I could love you so much more.

© Samantha A., Southbury, CT

Post a comment
Submit your own

Similar Articles

Previous Next
Poetry
To a Brother Growing Up
By imperfection GOLD
Gilroy, California
imperfection GOLD, Gilroy, California
17 articles 9 photos 45 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Dream as though you&#039;ll live forever, live as though you&#039;ll die today.&quot;<br /> ~James Dean (1931-1955), American Motion Picture Actor, symbol of rebellion

View profile
Poetry
Lightning
By Rachel Bellah BRONZE
Seattle, Washington
Rachel Bellah BRONZE, Seattle, Washington
4 articles 0 photos 1 comment
View profile
Poetry
Oh, let me be
By Forgotten_and_Lost GOLD
Coffeyville, Kansas
Forgotten_and_Lost GOLD, Coffeyville, Kansas
13 articles 0 photos 2 comments
View profile
Poetry
Cracked vase
By Dale CROUCH PLATINUM
JOPLIN, Missouri
Dale CROUCH PLATINUM, JOPLIN, Missouri
29 articles 9 photos 0 comments
View profile
Poetry
cry
By carreyelaine GOLD
Arlington, Tennessee
carreyelaine GOLD, Arlington, Tennessee
12 articles 4 photos 1 comment
View profile
Poetry
Med-O-Lark
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

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 6 comments.

JRaye PLATINUM said...
on Jan. 17 2014 at 6:38 pm
JRaye PLATINUM, Dorr, Michigan
43 articles 10 photos 523 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;If you build your house far enough away from Trouble, then Trouble will never find you.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Have you ever looked fear in the face and said, &#039;I just don&#039;t care.&#039;?&quot;

View profile
Hi - I remember reading this a while ago, and congratz on the publication! You earned it! :)
sarah98 BRONZE said...
on Jul. 21 2013 at 9:29 am
sarah98 BRONZE, Holyoke, Massachusetts
1 article 0 photos 405 comments

Favorite Quote:
It is better to write for yourself and have no audience than write for your audience and have no self.

View profile
WOW! this was so emotional. It was raw anger and sadness but it was still very put together. I love this.
estucker1998 PLATINUM said...
on Jul. 21 2013 at 12:39 am
estucker1998 PLATINUM, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
20 articles 0 photos 63 comments

Favorite Quote:
The voracious ambition of humans is never sated by dreams coming true, because of the thought that everything may be done better and again. --John Green, The Fault in Our Stars.

View profile
Great. This was truly wonderful--in a bitter, lonely sort of way. I could really relate to this, as I know so many others will, too. The imagery was perfect and her bitterness and disdain really showed through in the words.I especially loved when you described the Easy's and the "rings up your purchase 'sweetie'" I also loved "stings my unloved lips" and her sarcasm of "Isn't love great?"It was short, deep, and centered around something simple. I think that's what I like the most. You centered such a deep poem around something so simple: chapstick. Who would've thought it could inspire such a beautiful poem? 5/5 stars and going on my favorites list. I'd love it if you could check out some of my stuff! Keep writing! :)
JRaye PLATINUM said...
on Jul. 20 2013 at 8:16 pm
JRaye PLATINUM, Dorr, Michigan
43 articles 10 photos 523 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;If you build your house far enough away from Trouble, then Trouble will never find you.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Have you ever looked fear in the face and said, &#039;I just don&#039;t care.&#039;?&quot;

View profile
Yup - this is going in my Favorites :) This is such a good poem, so relatable, so bitterly beautiful. Do not stop writting! You have some creative talent right here
inactiveuserisinactive BRONZE said...
on Jul. 20 2013 at 2:03 pm
inactiveuserisinactive BRONZE, Gainesville, Florida
1 article 1 photo 8 comments
View profile
I truly connected with this. This is one of my favorite poems I've seen on TeenInk. 
CasimirPulaski SILVER said...
on Jul. 20 2013 at 12:38 am
CasimirPulaski SILVER, Columbia, Connecticut
5 articles 0 photos 10 comments
View profile
Love it! The bitter imagery is impeccable.