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Susan: A Poem

Jenny H., Trooper, PA

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By Susan L., Wilmington, MA

Susan.
My name is Susan.
I was a nice 1950s schoolgirl once
To my father; the namesake
Of a dear friend to my mother.
And so, I am Susan.
But I am neither of these
Ideals.
Susan, the lily, my name says.
But I am not:
Not, a white bloom,
Too pure and too slender,
Masked with frigid clarity.
No, my Susan is
The shy and spindly clematis
In my mother’s hectic garden.
Though close to the joyful daisies
And flopping pansies,
It stands alone.
Last year, the blushing petals
Fainted with weariness
On a stifling summer’s day.
It was a battle that
No flower,
No girl,
Could have claimed her own.
Yet now, I think,
The petals are opening this very moment.
It clings to the wall
And dances up the chimney
To the sky. The flower is
Susan,
And so am I.

This piece has also been published in Teen Ink's monthly magazine.

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Teen Ink is a national teen magazine, book and website featuring teen writing, information, art, photos, poetry, teen issues and more. All articles are written by teen authors who are students at schools. The monthly print magazine is appropriate for any teenager -- teenagers age 13 to 19 attending secondary school: junior high school, middle school and high school. This publication is used by professional people including English teachers, writing teachers, language arts instructors, journalism teachers, school newspaper advisors, librarians, guidance counselors, K-12 principals in addition to the PTA or PTO. Each issue of Teen Ink magazine contains a wide variety of student work: we publish nonfiction, fiction, poems, community service, sports, heroes, interviews, college essays, college reviews, book reviews, concert reviews, movie reviews, music reviews, video reviews, video game reviews, the environment, opinion, sports, pets, cars, automobiles, travel and culture, jobs and money, health issues, artwork, photographs, cartoons, short stories, essays, writing contests, a college directory and the website also has a bulletin board and resources for teens and educators. Subjects include racism, eating disorders, depression, death, suicide, family, relationships, jobs, grandparents, violence, the college process, college information, colleges, driving, self esteem, the arts, movies and more. Teen Ink is also a book series published by HCI Teens. Subjects covered in the book include Friends, Fitting In, Love, Challenges, Family, Heroes, Loss and Memories. Teen Ink was established in 1989 as The 21st Century magazine by The Young Authors Foundation, a nonprofit organization. More than 25,000 teens have been published in the magazine and its companion Poetry Journal. Teen Ink runs a London Summer Program for teenage writers.