Seventeen | Teen Ink

Seventeen

September 8, 2008
By Anonymous

Seventeen and I don’t know if you know
How it feels to sit here thinking
I should be doing something more. Different. Better.
Seventeen and I want to be Ginsberg. The Beatles. Someone.

Seventeen and I’m hearing all about college
And a life that goes -- where?
(2,000 miles from the man I want to love.)
I’m not like the people you see on TV
Where does that leave me?

Seventeen and I want to do everything and nothing, all at once.
I want to join the army so all I have to do is follow orders
I want to drop out of school so I don’t have to.
And while we’re all fighting for our lives,
The AP test wants to know: What were Truman’s character flaws?

Seventeen and I want to stand on the Statue of Liberty
And scream at the world for telling me
I should be doing more, less, doing.
Seventeen and I think I’m going crazy.



Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 6 comments.


Nat said...
on Sep. 27 2008 at 12:45 am
Way to go Emma L! Great poem!

on Sep. 14 2008 at 11:19 pm
i'm 17 too.. I can totally relate. I liked how you said about screaming on the top of the statue of liberty

Mrs. L said...
on Sep. 13 2008 at 10:39 pm
Loved it! ... but you already knew that! :)

on Sep. 13 2008 at 12:27 pm
This is SUCH a cool poem. It really captures the spirit of what it's like to be 17. It was decades ago for me, but it really takes me back. Great job.

jnahigian said...
on Sep. 13 2008 at 2:03 am
This is awesome! I love it!!!!

kyoukyou said...
on Sep. 13 2008 at 1:37 am
I enjoyed all the pop culture refrences, they were refreshing because some are equally mirrored in my life. I felt like screaming when the author said to scream. Basically our situation is similar, so how could I not love it!