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Am I My Brother's Keeper? This work has been published in the Teen Ink monthly print magazine.

By
Who is my brother?
Another offspring of my mother?
Or is he the guy on the street corner
begging for money?
Is my sister the girl selling her body
to feed the mouths of her hungry kids?
Was it my friend who got drunk
and died from hitting a tree?
Am I my brother’s keeper?
Should I tell the person next to me
where that road will lead them?
Should I support a hungry
child in Africa whose eyes
well up in tears every day?
Tell me who is my brother.
Who is my sister.
Tell me their story.
Tell me their problem and ask
Are you your brother’s keeper?

This work has been published in the Teen Ink monthly print magazine. This piece has been published in Teen Ink’s monthly print magazine.




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Anny_GraceThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Feb. 8 at 5:01 pm:
What an amazing message. Absolutely love it.
 
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HappyCamper said...
Jan. 17 at 6:35 pm:
Beautiful. It brought me to tears.
 
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sarahmichelle98 said...
Nov. 12, 2011 at 11:24 pm:
It Makes You Think About The Real Meaning Of The Words "Brother"And "Sister"
 
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Callie S. said...
Sept. 29, 2011 at 8:32 pm:
this was really amazing...anbd kinda creepy for me, because we were just talking about that in school today...coincidence?
 
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PumpkinscoutThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Sept. 29, 2011 at 5:07 pm:
I agree with LifeWrite and zadiekatie23. This is deep and powerful even in its absractness. It has a certain bang that it couldn't achieve with a longer, more prosey peice.
 
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zadiekatie23This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Sept. 7, 2011 at 5:54 pm:
Like LifeWrite said, really deep. I like the abstractness and ambiguity of it, as well as the directness. I am my brother's keeper, so I was drawn to the question that was this title.
 
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Laura_OliverThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Aug. 16, 2011 at 1:19 pm:
Who are you, though? Are you rich and successful? Or are you the same?.....
 
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LifeWriteThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Jul. 25, 2011 at 6:49 pm:
Wow, this is really deep. So true. Hands down five stars!! :) Could you check out my poem "The Scarlet Road"?
 
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Alon_FreevoiceThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Jul. 25, 2011 at 6:32 am:
Woah! Kept me raeding till the end! Nice work!
 
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Tayrodactyl said...
Jun. 11, 2011 at 10:03 am:
This is a beautiful piece, and I would love to have you check out some of my work :)
 
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Dedegirl said...
May 20, 2011 at 9:32 pm:
Oh my goodness! This is so deep! I love this! Your great, keep it up!
 
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ashleynThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
May 20, 2011 at 6:37 pm:
OMG! So touching! It almost made me cry it's so full of meaning. Very well done! (:
 
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ker-bear said...
May 20, 2011 at 2:56 pm:
this is a very meaningfull writting!!it hits you right on the heart. keep it up
 
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AthenaBook said...
Apr. 28, 2011 at 8:43 pm:
WOW! Very deep and meaningful; loved it and very fitting for today's world. Keep writing; this was amazing!
 
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Steveooooooo!!!!! said...
Apr. 13, 2011 at 12:39 pm:
it was very aspiring to me it was very good truly amazing of a poem
 
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no_name_ said...
Apr. 13, 2011 at 12:38 pm:
that was the best poem i've read in years....keep writing
 
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FelisBlackStick said...
Apr. 13, 2011 at 12:38 pm:
This poem was truly amazing and made me think.
 
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sa'mar johnson said...
Apr. 13, 2011 at 12:37 pm:
i honestly and truthfully like this poem. it has a relation to life of some and a connection to others as well ... Two thumbs up !!
 
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bianca M said...
Apr. 13, 2011 at 12:37 pm:
omg this is a very good poem its very eye opening!!
 
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HaleyDRog. said...
Mar. 18, 2011 at 5:08 pm:
This poem is incredible. I love the meaning behind the words! You are a talented writer! Keep it up!
 
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GzusFreak10This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Feb. 21, 2011 at 7:41 pm:
Wow, this is amazing! I love the whole thing. It's an excellent thought-provoker. Keep it up!!!!!
 
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EmilyMichelle This work has been published in the Teen Ink monthly print magazine. said...
Feb. 21, 2011 at 9:49 am:
Wow! This was amazing! It reminded me of a song by Matt Maher called Hold Us Together...the chorus goes "Love will hold us together, make us a shelter to weather the storm. And I'll be my brother's keeper, so the whole world will know that you're not alone." Listen to it, it's great! Keep on writing, this is so inspiring!
 
dolphin13This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. replied...
Mar. 15, 2011 at 7:41 pm :
I love that song! I also really love this poem. It is very well written and something that we should all think about. Keep writing!
 
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K.a.t.h.l.e.e.n. said...
Feb. 21, 2011 at 8:32 am:

Wow! This is incredible! You have so much talent! I love your reference to the Bible story of Cain and Abel because I think it remains a current and debated issue of who and what we are responsible for.

Great Job with this piece, 5 stars, keep writing!

 
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theMidnightSonnet said...
Jan. 17, 2011 at 3:10 pm:
This, is just astonishing. I didn't expect it to be this stunning. Awesomely done.
 
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zhlenThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. This work has been published in the Teen Ink monthly print magazine. said...
Jan. 8, 2011 at 7:22 pm:

shouldnt this b in the poem section??

... ignore me

 

 
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AspiringauhorThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Jan. 8, 2011 at 2:24 pm:
This was the best poem I have heard in a long time. :) Keep on writing! 
 
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Tyler B. said...
Nov. 3, 2010 at 1:53 pm:
oh my god!! i cant belive it . just. good! so good.
 
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TheMusicalFaery This work has been published in the Teen Ink monthly print magazine. said...
Oct. 27, 2010 at 3:12 pm:
Fabulous! Nicely done- keep up the good work!
 
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natashajeanne1021This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Sept. 20, 2010 at 10:15 pm:
love this!!
 
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Macx14This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Sept. 20, 2010 at 5:44 pm:
Very nicely written!!
 
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Phantom_Girl This work has been published in the Teen Ink monthly print magazine. said...
Aug. 29, 2010 at 10:46 am:
Very nice. I like the Bible reference. Very few people understand what the meaning of that passage was supposed to be, but you have grasped it in a very poetic sense.
 
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Someone_Who_Is_Loved said...
Aug. 7, 2010 at 2:51 pm:
I love this!!!!!! OMG, totally inspiring!!!!
 
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Shecklergrl13 said...
Jul. 16, 2010 at 4:34 pm:
So good! i Loved it, it was really eye opening, I hope you keep writing
 
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bbygurl21 said...
Jul. 14, 2010 at 4:16 pm:
i love this poem so much keep writting i am goin 2 give u 5 starts for this work
 
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trblueThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Jul. 12, 2010 at 4:20 pm:
its verry good i love it and it does not remind me of sister keeper.
 
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Jessyka8985 said...
Jun. 24, 2010 at 7:38 pm:
so true very deep to
 
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singdance7 said...
May 11, 2010 at 5:34 pm:
Bravo! Great Message! You truly have the writers gift!
 
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Lost-In-Life said...
May 11, 2010 at 3:16 pm:
This is an amazing poem. It's really deep. Wow! Luv it! <3 
 
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SilverSnowflakes said...
Mar. 28, 2010 at 8:39 pm:
beautiful :)
 
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Artemis_Girl said...
Mar. 28, 2010 at 6:10 pm:
wow...I'm...speechless! It's beautiful and it flows so well!
 
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#1 Believer! :) said...
Mar. 6, 2010 at 8:11 pm:
Omigosh!! that is really good. I wish I worte as good ask you. it started to make me tear up a little. Nice work.
 
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Alyssa(: said...
Feb. 12, 2010 at 11:16 pm:
This is so pretty! Never stop wrting!
 
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SportyZo77This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Feb. 12, 2010 at 9:13 pm:
This is beautiful, keep writing. do you mind checking my work?
 
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Alesha_4 said...
Feb. 12, 2010 at 1:11 pm:
Woow!!! I love this.
Keep writing!!
 
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vampzRfriendz said...
Jan. 21, 2010 at 4:46 pm:
Really good,awesome job (=
 
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outoforder2014 said...
Jan. 21, 2010 at 4:28 pm:
wow, i love this and when i looked at the top i saw you were a fellow hoosier and then i thought 'hey, she good go to the IMA for poetry too!' i know this piece was not meant to be poetic [or atleast wans put in the poetry part of the website] but it sounds like my favorite freeform poem ever. theres a unique summer program at the IMA and it will open a lot of oportunities. theres also creative writing if you'd wanna check it out. keep doing what your doing cause it rox!
 
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jake2011This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Dec. 30, 2009 at 10:09 am:
That was a great. I loved it. It touched me because I ask myself that question sometimes. Great job.
 
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kasras said...
Nov. 22, 2009 at 2:50 pm:
wow the first piece that made me cry in 20 second
 
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screenname! said...
Nov. 16, 2009 at 7:45 pm:
Wow! This was awesome. I'm speechless
 
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