Birthdays | Teen Ink

Birthdays MAG

December 10, 2008
By Jilybeanrb SILVER, Prentiss, Mississippi
Jilybeanrb SILVER, Prentiss, Mississippi
6 articles 0 photos 32 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Margo was not a miracle. She was not an adventure. She was not a fine and precious thing. She was a girl." ~Paper Towns


I met you at Jessica’s fourteenth birthday party,
where we stayed up all night on the couch.
I don’t remember a word of what we talked about
but I can still see you there, with the blanket on your lap,
and you were laughing. Always laughing.
I’m glad we became best friends.

I was there for your fifteenth birthday –
we watched “Flushed Away” at the Grand.
We laughed about it as we ate cake
in the glass party room where everyone could see us.
I’m sure that if they noticed you, what they saw was that
you were so alive.

You were there when I turned fifteen, and we ate at Friday’s.
I took a picture of you there.
Your dad has it now, he keeps it with him.
And I haven’t eaten there since.

Jessica didn’t celebrate her fifteenth birthday the same –
by then, you were gone.

For your sixteenth birthday, all your friends gathered
at your grave, and we wrote you notes.
We rolled them up tight and put them in balloons.
We sent the balloons away and pretended
you would get them.

I turned sixteen.
I lit a candle; I wished you were there.

Saturday is your seventeenth birthday.
And it’s hard to believe.
This year, I think we will try to forget.
But your impact, it’s still here.
It’s like tiny craters in my skin.
And I will always remember you,
through all the years.
Through all the
birthdays.



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This article has 98 comments.


cleo12 said...
on May. 27 2009 at 4:43 pm
i love this poem.

vania brown said...
on May. 27 2009 at 4:37 pm
vania brown, Pooler, Georgia
0 articles 6 photos 2 comments
whyd u have 2 make me cry? kudos though. very touching

on May. 27 2009 at 4:19 pm
Kadie Alexander BRONZE, Westbrook, Maine
1 article 0 photos 2 comments
wow.

thats all i can say is wow

on May. 17 2009 at 10:02 pm
Twilightnme SILVER, Anchorage, Alaska
6 articles 0 photos 50 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You dont know what you have until its gone"

This was touching. I couldn't bear it anymore. my eyes are soggy now... it was beautiful and gracious. You are a great poet. Nice detail on your work. I am heart founded...

on May. 14 2009 at 10:34 pm
MariaMarie DIAMOND, Washington Court House, Ohio
70 articles 0 photos 181 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Life&#039;s a mountain on a beach&quot;-Unknown<br /> &quot;Will: This is either madness or brilliance. Sparrow: It&#039;s remarkable how often those two traits coincide.&quot;-Pirates of the Caribbean:Curse of the Black Pearl.

Sad, a good way to express yourself. Things will work out- i'm sure he'd want u to be happy. It gives us the pain and helps to show just how special your friends are. Very lovely.

sarahw said...
on May. 10 2009 at 5:28 pm
This is beautiful. You are a talented writer and this is wonderful...I too have lost a friend who never turned 17. You express your feelings eloquently and touchingly. Kudos :)

on May. 8 2009 at 10:51 pm
this poem is really heart felt. i am so sorry to hear about ur friend.

on May. 3 2009 at 6:28 pm
nothingbutme BRONZE, Port Jefferson Station, New York
2 articles 0 photos 7 comments
thiss poem was amazing and im sorry about your friend

on Apr. 28 2009 at 4:29 am
PlumbThePuma BRONZE, Eatonville, Washington
1 article 0 photos 5 comments
wow that was amazing and i'm sorry about your friend. :(

on Apr. 21 2009 at 11:24 pm
moving and emotional, very impacting. love it.

on Apr. 18 2009 at 7:27 pm
xcupcakesxbrokenheartx BRONZE, Seaside, Oregon
2 articles 0 photos 28 comments
Wow, that is just so sad... I love it!

on Apr. 15 2009 at 7:01 pm
kissingdawn331 SILVER, Palatine, Illinois
5 articles 0 photos 60 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;when your hourglass runs out of sand you can&#039;t flip it over and start again.&quot;(changes weekly so check next weeks l8er)

I love yr poem...wow :(

Duckie430 said...
on Apr. 7 2009 at 12:58 pm
Duckie430, Riverside, Rhode Island
0 articles 0 photos 228 comments

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;The secret to life is being who you are and being happy with who you are.&rdquo;<br /> &quot;Whatever does not kill you only makes you stronger.&quot;

awww. this is really beautiful

Jacky PLATINUM said...
on Apr. 2 2009 at 11:51 pm
Jacky PLATINUM, Redmond, Oregon
24 articles 0 photos 3 comments
an amazing poem...

on Mar. 30 2009 at 12:54 pm
Jilybeanrb SILVER, Prentiss, Mississippi
6 articles 0 photos 32 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Margo was not a miracle. She was not an adventure. She was not a fine and precious thing. She was a girl.&quot; ~Paper Towns

Wow! I didn't even know this was published. I can't tell you how that makes me feel.



I appreciate your comments (: I'm really not that strong. I just loved her.

Madison_R said...
on Mar. 29 2009 at 5:32 pm
Madison_R, Carrollton, Texas
0 articles 3 photos 56 comments
This makes me want to cry. Very well written! Congratulations for getting it published.

aznchickie said...
on Mar. 29 2009 at 3:24 am
aznchickie, Escondido, California
0 articles 0 photos 5 comments
This is a really moving poem and I personally can't believe how strong you are.

Keep on writing :]

on Feb. 2 2009 at 4:45 pm
I love this poem. (I miss her too...)