Published April 20, 2009
"You're just a teenager," you say,
Visibly proud of your own maturity,
"And when you're that age
You don't know what love is."
Oh no.
Of course not.
I wouldn't know.
Since when have I experienced love?
Only once,
And surely it wasn't true love.
It was only wonderful
Only beautiful
Only passionate--
It only came from the very depths of my soul.
Can you boast as much
When you and him go back and forth
Screaming and fighting
Or just ignoring each other?
When was the last time you listened?
When was the last time you said, "I love you?"
But you're an adult and I'm a child;
Naturally you would know
What it means to love someone,
And naturally I would not.
"Love is patient," you say,
As if you knew.
"Love hopes, love endures."
Haven't I endured?
Haven't I hoped against hope?
Haven't I waited and waited,
Waited till it drove me mad?
Haven't I looked into his eyes,
Barely able to see past my tears and his,
And whispered one last time, "I love you,"
And heard him softly echo the words?
Haven't I cried myself to sleep
Every night since they took him from me?
But I suppose I was deceiving myself:
I don't know what love is--
That knowledge is yours, and yours alone.
But still I wonder:
What have you endured?
When have you been torn away
From the one who meant the world to you?
You met, you dated, you married;
And that was it.
Was love even part of the deal?
While the two of you argue and criticize,
Flinging accusations,
Saying, "If you loved me,
You would do such and such,"
I sit alone in the darkness,
With only my thoughts of him.
Which of us truly knows what love is?
"Love is faithful," you say,
As if I didn't know.
Haven't I been faithful?
Haven't I turned down countless others?
Haven't I stayed true to him,
Even when all heaven and earth tried to sway me?
When has your love stood the test?
One argument, one "better" man,
And you are ready to leave him.
"Love makes sacrifices," you say,
In all your wisdom.
Haven't I made sacrifices?
Haven't I defied all authority to be with him?
Wouldn't I sooner walk through hell itself
Than have him suffer?
Would you lay down your life for the one you love?
If you truly love him, that is.
You slam the door in his face;
You complain about him under your breath.
Now just you look me in the eyes--
I who have hoped and yearned and dreamed and prayed--
Just you look me in the eyes,
And tell me I don't know what love is.
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140,778 Literary Works • 673,688 Reviews
Wow this was Incredible...The emotion was so deep & direct that it felt like it was me who was asking whether or not i knew what love is...This is the best i've read so far keep it up..I 2nd this is a true story the emotional content was 2 strong this must've happened 2 u...once again this was a Flash of pure brilliance!
This is really powerful. Often when people write poems along these lines they turn out rather corny, this poem was obviously very well thought out, very meaningful and absolutely not corny at all, really a fantastic job. I also love your language, its always nice to see writers use simple language to get very complex feelings and ideas across.
Really good job all around!
Warrior, I am once again starstruck by your mad poetry skills.
>< Shina
*clicks gold star*
hey warrior princess! love this poem my parents say all the time teens dont know what love is but this poem proves that some teens know what love is
I love this poem! You nailed the way most teenagers think about such a thing. And how can they know when that is all they do haha. I guess I can understand because I know your situation haha. gold star!
I Love It
Brilliant! Absolutely Brilliant! Your poem was touching. SO touching it almost made me cry. I am very young and I have a love. I am not sure if he is the one. But all my other crushes didnt treat me as a friend. Just a person. But my crush treated my like a Best Friend and he is so special to me. And I think he loves me back. But I am leaving this school year.So I might never see him again. This poem is brilliant. You are a brilliant writer. You have a wonderful mind and heart. I am so glad God gave you such a wonderful talent. You use it greatly. I hope you get to be with the love of your life. Your poem shows that you can do anything, even love. At a young age. May God bless you very much.
~TheTwilightDog
Wow. That was insanely awesome! Incredible, really! I agree with SheepMonoxide that you captured the kid's thoughts and feelings perfectly and what the adult said is almost exactly what my Aunt says to my cousins XD
Nice job! *gold star for you!*
-
Will
Oh! That was lovely. xD
I love how you portrayed "The Teenager's" feelings. And I agree with all of the above comments. ^o^
Can't wait to read more of your work. xxx
Wow, I love this!
It's really good! It's great because it's all true as well, how adults are hypocritical about love when they say that we're children and that we don't know anything about it. I've never heard my parents say I love you or anything like that to each other. In my opinion the teenage years are the years where you learn about love, the ups, the downs and the things in between because that is the time where you are dating in your life. I can't find any nit-picks at all in this so thumbs up for that! I love the emotion behind this poem because it doesn't go over the top like you tend to get in poems like this and you have portrayed the thoughts of a teenager extremely well! Very well done to you
I can't wait to read more of your work!
Keep writing!
Meg xoxo
Hmm... the only guy responding so far... oh well, that is a great poem and I see the truth behind it. You are a very talented writer, with a great writing future. I don't know enough to make critics or praises on any specific parts but to me it ranks somewhere up there with Shakespeare and the likes.
There are many things to love about your poem. The emotion, the truth. Very well done!
Oh wow...this is great! I loved it, from the end to beginning and beginning to end. I have been through this type of thing too. And I was in so much pain. The worse part, I was watching a scary movie when we did. Well this is something everyone goes through. Most of the time people get over it, and others don't. I still am in the process of doing so. I'm sorry to hear you say what you did. It's not something people like to talk about it. i don't. It's a painfull subject. Well still very very good. well writer and understood. Thanks, abby
Loved the poem!! I'm sure most teens can relate, and you described it very well.
The same thoughts have flashed through my own head countless times.
That was amazing!! Dude, I know what you mean. Adults always think that just 'cos we're kids, we don't know what love means or what it is. I think you did a great job of portraying a teenager's thoughts on that particular matter.
xXx -Lissie
That was an absolutely amazing poem. You put it forward in such a great way. You're a good writer.
Hey this is a really good poem, ur a great writer. The emotion behind it was put across really well, i just loved reading it!
That...was actually pretty awesome. You think it's going to be one of those traditional angst-rant poems (no offense) at the beginning, but the tone and style are well-controlled and you don't veer into the over-emotional, in spite of the subject matter. It paints a strong picture and does not navel-gaze. I really can't find anything to nit-pick! Very well done indeed. Kudos
Cheers,
~bubbles