A Work in Progress | Teen Ink

A Work in Progress MAG

November 9, 2008
By QS724 SILVER, Carpentersville, Illinois
QS724 SILVER, Carpentersville, Illinois
9 articles 0 photos 3 comments

I get nervous … speaking to a crowd.
Not in a crowd, but to one.
In a crowd my voice is commanding and enthusiastic,
But to one, I am weak,
My hands shake, my voice quivers.
Like I am afraid.
Maybe I am afraid, afraid that what I say and do don’t matter.
That my very existence on this earth is meek and unnecessary,
That I just take up space. I am afraid to be small.
That simple fact causes me to be loud and exuberant,
But is not overshadowed by the fact that I am still a work in progress,
And like those before me,
Will probably always be a work in progress until I have taken my last comforting
Breath,
Going to a place where I can speak with confidence,
Without the shakes and pain of this bleak life of worry and profit.
To a place where I will no longer be a work in progress.



Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 28 comments.


on Aug. 27 2011 at 6:52 pm
livelovesmile GOLD, Gaithersburg, Maryland
19 articles 0 photos 60 comments

Favorite Quote:
I am like a star burst. A juicy contradiction. I'm hard to figure out, but when you get to my center, your suprised! It's not what you thought it would be, huh.

this poem is beautiful! well done! 

i would appreciate if you would check out my poems for i am always looking for feedback! Thanks!

 


on Aug. 5 2011 at 7:50 pm
bEllAhOPe BRONZE, Houston, Texas
4 articles 0 photos 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
\"Flying is simple... you just throw yourself at the ground and miss.\"

The message portrayed was amazing, but the delivery was slightly weaker. From the title, I might have expected a little more. Overall, however, I appreciated the writing. Well done.

on Mar. 4 2011 at 10:56 am
thegirlinthedress GOLD, Ocklawaha, Florida
13 articles 5 photos 4 comments
I love this! Great job!!!

gleek1234 GOLD said...
on Jan. 29 2011 at 6:25 pm
gleek1234 GOLD, Burlington, Vermont
17 articles 0 photos 130 comments

Favorite Quote:
You did let me go you left me broken and heartless, crying out for help, with no one to answer my calls-Shilpa Pierpont-Hale ( poem) Love hurts

me too i hate speaking in front of people one time i did a book report and  i almost cried because my voice shakes and i was really scared i was gonna mess up. band i did but that was only because i was telling mi self i would and  not believing in my self. i know how her and you feels. i have to read my poem for my next school town meeting and i am really scared. but i practice in front of a mirror and w/ my mom it works. and i Imagen i am reading it in front of my whole fam. try it it really helps. sometimes when i am nervous i tend to read really fast i need to work on that.

on Jan. 19 2011 at 1:26 pm
this poem spoke to me, i feel you man!

DrDoofenTess said...
on Jan. 19 2011 at 1:22 am
DrDoofenTess, Dubai, Other
0 articles 0 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
Hope for the best .... Expect the worst .

hey serenity

i bet almost half of the comments you get on here will be by people who find it hard to speak up in a crowd .... im one of them too. in fact i was jus tellin my friend yesterday about my stage fright n then today i read this

freaky co incidence huh :P

ur poem shows acceptance of the fact of u are at the moment and not lettin it take u down at the same time ... it shows all the hopes and promises u hold for ur future crowds :)

loved it n i will for sure check out ur other works


nancyyy BRONZE said...
on Sep. 14 2010 at 7:44 am
nancyyy BRONZE, Spotsylvania, Virginia
2 articles 0 photos 19 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The bigger the dreams, the smaller the competition"

I get nervous speaking to a crowd too. Your poem put the feeling into words.

I like how you said "I am still a work in progress, and like those before me, Will probably always be a work in progress until I have taken my last comforting Breath" The line was very thought provoking for me and led me to reflect on the fact that nobody is perfect and everyone always strives to be better.


on Aug. 18 2010 at 9:39 pm
Smileyky108 BRONZE, Venetia, Pennsylvania
2 articles 0 photos 20 comments
Ahh. I think my comment got screwed up. I was saying that I think that a lot of people will be able to relate to this poem, and how beautifully written it is. (:

on Aug. 18 2010 at 9:37 pm
Smileyky108 BRONZE, Venetia, Pennsylvania
2 articles 0 photos 20 comments
I love this. I love the idea of being able to go with the crowd but not being able to speak

on Aug. 18 2010 at 4:31 pm
silent_reader BRONZE, Columbia, Maryland
1 article 0 photos 41 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I cannot live without books." - Thomas Jefferson

really good

QS724 SILVER said...
on Jun. 25 2010 at 11:22 pm
QS724 SILVER, Carpentersville, Illinois
9 articles 0 photos 3 comments
thanks guys your comments mean so much to me! read my other stuff and comment on those as well if you have the time

on Jun. 1 2010 at 8:02 pm
when_we_were_thieves GOLD, Boise, Idaho
15 articles 11 photos 13 comments
I really liked this piece. This is a lot how I am, kind of eye opening. Thanks so much!

on May. 28 2010 at 11:17 am
JasminePinto BRONZE, Anywhere, Texas
1 article 0 photos 19 comments

Favorite Quote:
we make a living by what we get but make a life by what we give- Winston Churchhill<br /> <br /> Don&#039;t quit while the night is darkest for its just a while till dawn- Jill Wolf

TRULLY AMAZING, words really cant even describe how good this is

on May. 17 2010 at 4:47 pm
sunnyhunny PLATINUM, Litchfield, New Hampshire
22 articles 3 photos 329 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.&quot;<br /> -Ghandi

Great job.  I thik about similar things sometimes.  5 stars.

Eric DeMeo said...
on Apr. 30 2010 at 9:39 am
Eric DeMeo, Saugus, Massachusetts
0 articles 0 photos 11 comments
Fantastic free verse. Good job!!!!!

(:) jojo (:) said...
on Apr. 8 2010 at 1:17 pm
um its a freeverse so it can be anything the writer wants it to be. btw i LOVED IT!!

on Mar. 19 2010 at 9:17 am
AllysenBursex3 SILVER, Gibsonton, Florida
6 articles 0 photos 9 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;I don&#039;t listen to the radio.&quot; &lt;3

That was hot; I like it (:

bilbogirl GOLD said...
on Feb. 6 2010 at 5:11 pm
bilbogirl GOLD, Townsend, Delaware
19 articles 0 photos 39 comments

Favorite Quote:
If you cant rock it, dont even bother trying.

Definately an amazing piece, very well written. I like that I can feel the nervousness in front of one. Can't wait for more. 5 stars!

on Jan. 10 2010 at 8:00 pm
dan_wills07 SILVER, Fort Wayne, Indiana
5 articles 0 photos 25 comments

Favorite Quote:
Live Life to the Fullest

This is very talented and it showed courage. 5 stars!

gabee_p SILVER said...
on Sep. 24 2009 at 4:34 pm
gabee_p SILVER, MOUNTAIN HOME, Arkansas
6 articles 1 photo 6 comments
sweetness thanx!!