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Child Soldiers This work has been published in the Teen Ink monthly print magazine.


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Their eyes tell silent stories.
Stories that would shock even the darkest of hearts.
These eyes have seen worse than some could even dream of.
They’ve seen killing and death, and pain and suffering to extents that can be hard to imagine.
Eyes that should be learning how to read are instead being taught how to fight.
Emotionless eyes are being forced to kill in gruesome ways.
Eyes that seem to have run out of tears, because crying never helped.
Their sobs are unheard, their tears are unseen.
Children who are innocent are being ruined by men who see no hope in their government.
Men who are willing to take advantage of an irreplaceable innocence.
The eyes are deep brown.
A brown so deep you could get lost in it.
Eyes that catch attention for their beauty.
They silently tell of innocence lost and of silent tears cried.
These are the eyes of a child soldier.

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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This article has 322 comments. Post your own!

Adi-heidThis 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 9 at 2:53 pm:
This is so amazing! I really love it!
 
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Katie-joThis 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 9 at 2:50 pm:
Awesome! Loved it!
 
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squirreljedi said...
May 9 at 10:29 am:
WOW! This poem is amazing. Really puts things in perspective
 
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Gothica295This 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 9 at 10:01 am:

Very amazing poem! <3 Sad, though.

My English class just finished reading a book about a child soldier. Have you ever read A Long Way Gone?

 
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rainbowmermaidThis 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 8 at 12:09 pm:
amazing but sad i read about child soldiers and it made me cry so this was hard to read
 
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kiwi said...
May 3 at 12:52 pm:
you got some geat creative idioms!!!!!!!!! and how u used your metaptor!!!! awsome job!
 
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JMugliaThis 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...
Apr. 17 at 5:10 pm:
Wow, that was amazing! I loved the detail you added and the emotions you put into the poem. The word choice was perfect.
 
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maddyhatterThis 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...
Apr. 17 at 12:04 pm:
i havent cried in nearly a year but that just started the waterworks
 
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AlliterationAceThis 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...
Apr. 17 at 11:32 am:
I hate to think about what those little kids must go through... Their childhood gets ripped from their grasp. Someone needs to put atop to it. And your words are making an impact. Keep up the good work.
 
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AnimalLover2This 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...
Mar. 26 at 7:09 pm:
Beautiful poem
 
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Let-Love-InThis 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. 14 at 4:17 pm:
touching, i'm almost in tears. no child should have to experience that. but an amazing poem.
 
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mammothfrkThis 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. 11 at 10:37 am:
Its inspirational
 
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Michaela M. This 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. 30 at 11:06 pm:
wow all this and more is true the way you wrore this poem makes us truly understand what these people are going through.this poem says so much, the words that you wrote are chalenging writers them self to write what they feel
 
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kate12345meThis 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. 20 at 9:09 pm:
Very moving, and very much from the heart. If I could point out something, try not to repeat the same word in the space of a few words, such as 'innocent' and 'innocence'. Apart from that, this was absolutely perfect and I think it is very deserving of being in the mag. If you could check out my work, I'd be honored. Keep writing, 13-year-old Katie x
 
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Bookworm1997This 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. 20 at 7:13 pm:
This poem is beautiful and emotional.
 
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Daisysmile101This 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. 17 at 1:10 pm:
really powerful poem almost made me cry.
 
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purple678This 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. 29, 2011 at 6:18 pm:
great poem- very emotional and powerful.
 
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Fia-fiaThis 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. 29, 2011 at 6:08 pm:
THis is so sad, a wonderful and powerful poem though. Child Soldiers are a problem, and this is a good message. Thank you :)
 
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CJN0808 said...
Dec. 29, 2011 at 1:25 pm:
Wow! Great imagery and subject matter! Come check ou my poem if you like this, and rate/comment :)
 
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StephY95 said...
Dec. 21, 2011 at 1:04 pm:
I Love This Poem..... Its kinds Of relate to the book boy soilders it kind of brings tears to my eyes
 
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mfischerThis 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. 19, 2011 at 12:29 pm:
Brought me to tears, KEEP it up! :)
 
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lili889 said...
Dec. 13, 2011 at 11:24 pm:
from whose perspective is it writen from?
 
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otherpoetThis 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. 7, 2011 at 9:47 pm:
Wow! You are an excellent writer! I love the message this poem conveys, and you have such a strong voice. I can tell you are passionate about this subject!
 
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ninja17This 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. 7, 2011 at 9:09 pm:
Won my heart!
 
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ApolloSunThis 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. 7, 2011 at 4:09 pm:
This was a very nice poem! I explained just what it needed to in only a few words, which is nice to eyes. Great job!
 
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james14This 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. 7, 2011 at 9:14 am:
OMG! this was amazing! u r a really good writer! follow ur dreams and keep writing!
 
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youngspeareThis 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. 7, 2011 at 1:43 am:
wow! It's such a beautiful piece, i'm touched. 5/5 stars, excellent job! Keep writing, you sure are talented. :)
Check out my poem "Ghosts of the Past" and rate/comment? Would really appreciate it!
 
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josikaThis 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. 4, 2011 at 8:59 am:
i completely agree with the whole idea of the poem
 
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Nasra689 said...
Nov. 30, 2011 at 6:51 pm:
this is so amazing it made me sad to read, sorry to write this but i also have a poem that is like this called "discrinimation" can u plz read it and give me feedback? thx :)
 
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Big k said...
Nov. 29, 2011 at 10:20 am:
Who cares
 
zigzag replied...
Jan. 20 at 10:26 pm :
big k u are being a big jerk this poem is so moving i just love it
 
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GirlWhoWroteThis 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...
Nov. 15, 2011 at 8:47 pm:
this is amazing!!!! Please check out my work!!!!!!!
 
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sunriseusnset said...
Nov. 15, 2011 at 7:37 pm:
This is amazing. Great detail. I have an Invisible Children's Club at my school & i woudl just love to share this...if you don't mine.
 
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DreammerThis 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...
Nov. 15, 2011 at 7:32 pm:
This was amazing! Please look at my work :)
 
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ThePeaceDaisyThis 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...
Nov. 15, 2011 at 1:34 pm:
This is so sad.. :'( children, or anyone for that matter, should not be treated this way.
 
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kobie1kenobi said...
Nov. 15, 2011 at 9:05 am:
This is amazing. Well worded, deep, true, and heart-wrenching. This, right here, is an example of what good poetry is, if ever the world would give it a chance. Thank you for this poem; it speaks volumes while in silence it may be read.
 
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xximjustmexxThis 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...
Nov. 15, 2011 at 8:01 am:
Great work. That really captured and summarized what our world has come to. 5/5
 
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WhittyKittyThis 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...
Nov. 9, 2011 at 6:47 pm:
WOW. Amazing
 
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EscapeSanityThis 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...
Oct. 25, 2011 at 8:40 pm:
This really makes you think about the world we live in today. Your poem really put an image in my mind. I could see their tears, and imagined what they were being taught. Exellent work!
 
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Evelyn said...
Oct. 24, 2011 at 2:39 pm:
my friend evelyn apoko was a child soldier...
 
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Gingersnap777This 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...
Oct. 24, 2011 at 8:49 am:
What world is it that we live in, to see such sights?  Excellent work.
 
breakingfreeThis 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...
Oct. 24, 2011 at 10:26 pm :
this is so REAL. i could see them, what their eyes were reflecting. BEAUTIFUL. really good.
 
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whitetiger303This 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...
Oct. 18, 2011 at 12:44 pm:
This poem is very moving but very true at the same time. I like the picture that goes with it. You can tell it fits the poem.
 
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AngelHeart654This 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...
Oct. 11, 2011 at 12:38 pm:
GOOSEBUMPS!!!! I heard so much emotion n voice.
 
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ConstellationN said...
Oct. 5, 2011 at 3:21 pm:
That was so beautiful. That's what it is, you know? It made my heart sink when I read it, just because you captured what you were writing about. I hope you continue to write like this. It's very important, considering the age we live in.
 
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shapeshifter56This 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. 30, 2011 at 11:22 pm:
Beautifully written. You captured so much emotion in your poem. It is truly wonderful and clearly illustrates the pain of a child soldier.
 
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Toby said...
Sept. 10, 2011 at 12:55 pm:
this is awful, honestly, i dont know why people think its good, its terrible, not well written at all, yes about a sesative issue, but that doesnt mean people should feel obliged to say its good...
 
Bradymb94This 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...
Sept. 10, 2011 at 6:10 pm :

hey you don't need to rip on it, I don't think it's neccessarily great but theres no need to insult people.

 

 
DezyDeeThis 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...
Sept. 23, 2011 at 3:05 pm :
This is a great writing.  However, in my opinion, it shouldn't matter what the writing is about. It matters more if it touches the heart of someone else. This is a fantastic poem. And I love it!
 
BeachBum101This 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...
Sept. 23, 2011 at 7:53 pm :
I agree that this poem is fantastic! I love all the descriptions and its well written. I love it over all. Dont let people stop you from wrtiting
 
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