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Jill P., Westboro, MA

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Inspired by The House on MangoStreet
Ben - boring, drooling, average, like a cabbage. Over theyears I have turned into Ben on the outside but I am much different - like afterpeeling off a kiwi's fuzzy skin to the sweet flesh - inside. If you look past thename, the treasure can be found inside, like cutting open a gemstone. In public Iam Ben.

People want to see only themselves, only a mirror image oftheir dull selves.

You can't tell the difference between frogs in a bog,but they are different. When I am alone or with my friends, I find my buriedtreasure. My imagination runs wild in the valleys of my mind. I can change myname. I am a different person. I can lie about who I really am. Of all the namesI could have had, why did I get such a bad one? When I am in public the frogs ofthe bog say, "Hi, what's your name?"

"Ben," I say.

"Yeah, you look like a Ben."

But they have no idea whatthey're talking about.

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.