Teenage Angst

So this is hilarious, I was going through some boxes in my room and found a bunch of old English projects from high school. I'm glad I saved them; it'll give my own students a good laugh. I just about fell over when I found a project called "SUFFER" that I put together during our Holocaust literature unit. Nothing to laugh about here, of course, but as part of the assignment, I had to produce my own piece of writing that reflected on human suffering and pain. Charming. Thank you, Mrs. Darcy, for encouraging us all to explore the depths of our angst.

So I submit to you all for your literary critique, a reflective poem written by 15-year-old Hilary, "Defect."

Defect

Collect yourself.

You should know every step,
We've been here before.
With your eyes closed
You should find this door.

Honestly.

Why do you hurt yourself
With every stutter you make?
The mortification you endure...
Can't you hear your heart break?

And your blundering movements!
Your body catches attention
As you trip through your life.
Don't you know they sense tension?

Each insult you pronounce,
A forked tongue protrudes and
To your careless mind your
Quick mouth alludes.

Come now.

The world will offer you successes
But in the end, aren't you clever?
You didn't do anything with
The laborious body you were given
And in the end you are still
Locked in the labyrinth of your mind.

The end. Thank goodness. Don't know what I was going through or what sparked this poem. It's funny, reading it I feel some of the awkward pain of high school, but it's sort of vague and impossible to place. Or maybe I just wanted a good grade, I got a perfect score on this beast of a project. Take that, system.