Flame | Teen Ink

Flame MAG

December 1, 2008
By Anonymous

I watch this flame pass
from match to wick,
gently stepping over
a great divide.
This flame and I
are not so different:
it comes into being from nothingness;
it eats and grows, smokes, and rests.
It gets angry,
destroys homes,
consumes flesh.
Sated, it becomes calm,
retreats into coals,
smoldering through the night.
Domesticated
by a piece of string,
it makes its home in a cave of wax.
It chases the shadows away
and stands watch through the night.
It sways
and dances in the darkness
before it is extinguished
in the blink
of an eye.


The author's comments:
What inspired me to write this was: my life resembles a candle light. Bright at times, then it completely turns around and I feel dark, sad, and abandoned. I hope whoever reads this will feel what I felt, and not judge, but understand. Thank you.

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This article has 293 comments.


on May. 20 2010 at 3:27 pm
Patience97 PLATINUM, New Tripoli, Pennsylvania
27 articles 8 photos 135 comments

Favorite Quote:
"People believe that if we really want to eliminate something, focus on that. How much sense does it make for us to give the particular problem all of the energy, as opposed to focusing on trust, love, living in abundance, education, or peace? -Un.

Oh yea... I thought you were so I tried to defend it... :) Haha

Well I really have no idea because I was never published in a magizine. I only had a few people look at my stuff and they are people I know.

Hbu? Yea it is hard to get people to notice you on here.


on May. 20 2010 at 3:24 pm
ElijahN PLATINUM, Livonia, Michigan
31 articles 0 photos 150 comments

Favorite Quote:
"only after you've lost everything, that you're free to do anything."-Tyler Durdan -Fight Club-

huh? I meant in general, I'm asking how do you get somebody to look at your work. you thought I was dissing this poem? I gave it a 5/5.

on May. 20 2010 at 3:23 pm
Patience97 PLATINUM, New Tripoli, Pennsylvania
27 articles 8 photos 135 comments

Favorite Quote:
"People believe that if we really want to eliminate something, focus on that. How much sense does it make for us to give the particular problem all of the energy, as opposed to focusing on trust, love, living in abundance, education, or peace? -Un.

What do you mean? It's unique, and it has a hidden meaning, when you look closely at the words you can see it... Try to have an open mind.

on May. 20 2010 at 3:20 pm
ElijahN PLATINUM, Livonia, Michigan
31 articles 0 photos 150 comments

Favorite Quote:
"only after you've lost everything, that you're free to do anything."-Tyler Durdan -Fight Club-

how does a poem get so many comments like this?

on May. 20 2010 at 2:38 pm
Patience97 PLATINUM, New Tripoli, Pennsylvania
27 articles 8 photos 135 comments

Favorite Quote:
"People believe that if we really want to eliminate something, focus on that. How much sense does it make for us to give the particular problem all of the energy, as opposed to focusing on trust, love, living in abundance, education, or peace? -Un.

I really like this and it makes me feel like I understand you. Good job :)

on May. 20 2010 at 12:20 pm
pedrobob BRONZE, Waterford, Other
3 articles 0 photos 5 comments
Very nice, strange, but excellent. Please read mine people!

on May. 20 2010 at 11:30 am
savagivity777, Sante Fe, New Mexico
0 articles 0 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Fo rizzle."

Seriously.  Enough with the butt smoochin.  Go practice.

on May. 20 2010 at 8:23 am
Darkchloe14 BRONZE, Memphis, Tennessee
1 article 0 photos 25 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Be Strong"

love it, love it, LOOOOVE IT!!.

on May. 10 2010 at 9:18 pm
DaylightDarkness SILVER, Littleton, Colorado
9 articles 0 photos 102 comments

Favorite Quote:
Everyone's crazy. You know why? We all want to be normal. Well, we cant define normal, and, the people you can point at and say, well isn't he/she normal are rare. Doesnt that kind of defeat the pupose of normal? -My Friend

This is really impressive. The comparison to candles and candlelight is a new one for me. Thank you for posting this.

on Apr. 30 2010 at 9:42 am
Benjamin.B BRONZE, Columbus Grove, Ohio
1 article 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
“People are afraid of themselves, of their own reality; their feelings most of all. People talk about how great love is, but that's bullshit. Love hurts. Feelings are disturbing. People are taught that pain is evil and dangerous. How can they deal with love if they're afraid to feel? Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio. You feel your strength in the experience of pain. It's all in how you carry it. That's what matters. Pain is a feeling. Your feelings are a part of you. Your own reality. If you feel ashamed of them, and hide
them, you're letting society destroy your reality. You should stand up for your right to feel your pain.” - Jim Morrison

I quite enjoyed your poem. Very nice word choice.

on Apr. 28 2010 at 5:00 pm
ElijahN PLATINUM, Livonia, Michigan
31 articles 0 photos 150 comments

Favorite Quote:
"only after you've lost everything, that you're free to do anything."-Tyler Durdan -Fight Club-

please read my stuff Karah! :)

on Apr. 28 2010 at 4:56 pm
ElijahN PLATINUM, Livonia, Michigan
31 articles 0 photos 150 comments

Favorite Quote:
"only after you've lost everything, that you're free to do anything."-Tyler Durdan -Fight Club-

very great, very vivid and muy bien. me gusta muy mucho. :)

ird13 GOLD said...
on Apr. 28 2010 at 9:09 am
ird13 GOLD, Beachwood, Ohio
12 articles 0 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
1. Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.
2. You wear a mask for so long, you forget who you were beneath it.
3. You see, madness, as you know, is like gravity, all it takes is a little push.

This is incredible! What a great concept, you are a very strong writer and you really know how to express emotion well. Even if this is written about yourself, I'm sure many others as well as myself can relate to it.  :D

inspir3d GOLD said...
on Apr. 6 2010 at 10:00 pm
inspir3d GOLD, Norcross, Georgia
11 articles 2 photos 73 comments

Favorite Quote:
We're all just looking for attention, to be discovered overnight. We're all frustrated by the popular ones that claim the limelight before they fall to pieces. So many of us are stuck under the radar--what makes me different? You decide!

incredible poem :) great imagery, and i love the line breaks = great rhythem. I can REALLY relate to this. Check out some of my stuff?

on Apr. 6 2010 at 8:30 pm
deardiary BRONZE, Saskatoon, Other
3 articles 0 photos 65 comments

Favorite Quote:
It is a truth universally acknowedged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. -Pride and Prejudice

You inspire me to write better. Fabulous! :)

on Apr. 6 2010 at 8:00 pm
FrenchHornGirl GOLD, Shreveport, Louisiana
19 articles 77 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
"I may not be perfect, but Jesus thinks I'm to die for."

I really like this and can really relate to it!  Great job!

on Mar. 15 2010 at 9:51 am
Anique_ThePoet GOLD, Indianapolis, Indiana
10 articles 33 photos 111 comments

Favorite Quote:
"A writer should write with his eyes and painter paint with his ears." ~Gertrude Stein~

fire is a light of assurance for me. i love to look at it, smell the burning embers, and the warmth it gives me. i can see how you relate yourself to a flame. its a smart way to go about things when you share the same traits and bring the same apperance, especiallly with the words you used. this is a great piece. and yes, i understand.

Emmalee SILVER said...
on Mar. 15 2010 at 9:03 am
Emmalee SILVER, Rayville, Louisiana
9 articles 14 photos 65 comments

Favorite Quote:
Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. - John Lennon

Wonderful. :)

on Mar. 15 2010 at 5:21 am
xAllegria BRONZE, Singapore, Other
1 article 2 photos 112 comments

Favorite Quote:
Ça fait tellement du bien d’aimer les gens qu’on aime, que ça finit par faire mal. Je sais pas comment on survit a ça. Non franchement, je sais pas. LOL (laughing out loud) ®, Lola.

I love fire, it's so beautiful. Nice choice of metaphors and words, overall it's a great idea =)

Hamburglar said...
on Mar. 11 2010 at 10:05 am
I really enjoyed this poem. The descriptive language in this poem makes it very vivid, and I like that a lot.