Messes & Chores

A college roommate of mine invited a bunch of her friends over for supper. One of her friends got away from the group & wrote a poem on my refrigerator, which was a common thing in our house. I always kept dry erase boards & markers in the kitch

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Messes & Chores

 

 

After the dinner party, while cleaning the kitchen,

I destroyed the poem.

A troubled girl wrote an emo poem on my refrigerator.

By troubled I mean the kind of teen who's seen too much,

been too abused,

heard the wrong words at the right time,

been in the right place at the wrong time,

ignored,

left out,

shut in, common.

It was sad and melodramatic,

with too many metaphors and in your face symbolism.

It was a trash, woe-is-me soliloquy

written in black marker across the door of my freezer.

I sprayed it down with Fantastic and bleach,

then watched as the ink turned into little rivulets

and ran down the door.

The smeared words reminded me of the black tears in her poem.

I don't put up with crying.

With a Scotch Brite I scrubbed until the surface was

white,

pristine,

clean.

Those were her only shared words, muddled and smeared.

I thought about replacing her poem, but

sometimes chores just turn into work.

It's not like anyone listens to teen poets anyway.

Reviews

[SM Davis]

Having seen many of the poems like the one in your poem, I must say that it is indeed a sad day when a piece of writing of any kind is ignored simply due to teenage (or any other) prejudice. I teach a creative writing class at the local mental health clinic, and I have to say that it is through pain and making mistakes that we grow the most.

Thank you for sharing this. It was well written and executed.

[Writer CW Kirkland]

I thought this was an interesting poem about another interesting poem. Isn't it amazing what can inspire us to write? I thought the flow of the poem was excellent, and you did a good job describing the teen. I was left wanting to know more specifics about the things the teen wrote on your refrigerator door though. You chose a great piece to submit for the Kitchen Sink contest. Thanks for sharing your writing on the Cafe, and I look forward to reading more.

[Brenda Sue]

A good mix and flow. Wonderfully penned.

[Emily B]

Wow! I love the metaphors. I suppose I don't understand young angsty poets. I may have been one myself around age fourteen or fifteen. I don't think my writing was ever so dark. As an adult, I can't bear to go those place, to re-visit what was.

Thank you for making me walk in someone else's shoes for a moment or two. It might make all the difference one day.

[Mark Pearce]

A powerful piece.

The metaphors well-pinned and the tone consistent.

Thanks for entering "The Kitchen Sink."

[larryb]

Great write, we all know this girl i think and you explained her well..

[Erin Phoenix]

This is really good. A bit sad but still very good. :)

Hope to read more of your work. '

Keep me posted.

Don't be shy to ask for help!

:)

[An owl on the moon]

Loved the gentle mix of poetry and prose style. Such a sad statement on what is of real value to our world. Amazing mention of black ink running down like tears. Just amazing...

[Kim]

A good write, putting the thoughts and feelings of an emo girl into writing. I have a friend who is going through this with her daughter right now. It is so hard to watch what it does to this girl and my friend........to the family as a whole.