Aug. 10, 2002 - 21:38 MDT

THE WONDERING JEW

Told By Teens

I have finally found the time to begin to read in a couple of books of poetry, written by high school students.

Should a poem be all sweetness and light, a longing for an unapproachable love, a langourous misery ? Not always should it be so I think.

HATE

I always promised myself that I wouldn't hate anyone

But you're different

You took someone close to me

You didn't get life

You got to be free

You should have died

For all those years my mother cried

I always promised myself I wouldn't hate anyone

But you're different.

By - Kasondra

These poems by young kids, some of whom I think are older than many of us gray haired couch potatoes will ever be.

WHAT DOES A POEM MEAN ?

What does a poem mean ?

for some ...... a dream

others ..... obscene

there is no meaning of one

for us it's real fun just begun

for from the poet'swill and skill

the thrill of engage

is where it's at

beyond the scat

of academic format

It is through the soul

of poetic pen

that the meaning is open

beyond the ken of critic/writerr

by Paul

I could go on but won't. To me these young folks seem to be telling it like it is, opening their hearts and feelings to the world they inhabit and for us all. Thankful am I that censorship did not crush their free expression.

Some of these people have more than one poem in the book but to me they track and ring true. Most of the students seem to be more mature than their physical years, surely more grown up than I was.

Will they be poets for their vocation ? I wouldn't hazard a guess. But I do think they have, in poetry, explored something of who they are and where they want to be.

They seem to have explored their emotions, thoughts and feelings well enough to put words on paper for others to read. Isn't that what we who are diarists do ?

This book, I think, is how it is today for them, Told By Teens . . . . . . . . .

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