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When I am Dead This work has been published in the Teen Ink monthly print magazine.


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When I am dead, my dearest, don’t stick my bones
together with Scotch tape. Do not try to fit them
underneath a frame. Use them, one by one,
as a weapon, a gavel. My bones,
they can be good back scratchers, honey mixers,
and hands of clocks.

You can toss them across space
and see how far they’ll glide until another hand
slips across it. When I am dead, dearest,
thread my bones to the top of a mountain.

The next time you arrive at a glass sea,
spill it boldly. Spell your life in two parts,
watch them float until they descend
like a weight down into that container.

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 380 comments. Post your own!

Lizla said...
yesterday at 5:38 pm:
I LOVE this! You've got an incredible gift!
 
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AoideThis 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. 1 at 10:22 am:
I love this! Most poems about death are depressing and overly morbid, but this is positive and has a very strong message about carrying on after loss. It's really unique, and I admire that. Please keep writing!
 
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KaylaMarie3003This 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. 30 at 3:57 am:
i love this! my poems are about different things and touch you in different ways. yall should check them out :)
 
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horsewriter4evrThis 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. 18 at 12:58 pm:
amazing....just really amazing! 
 
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MarbleJarble said...
Feb. 26 at 3:07 pm:
That was amazing! Really awesome. Thanks for that(: 
 
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RosySeaThis 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 1:07 pm:
This is beautiful...I give it five stars!
 
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NigomayNamikazeThis 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. 2 at 1:13 pm:
Its to much for me but I can understand it! YOUR GOING TO MAKE ME THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A WEEK! I LIKE IT
 
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JessJess96 said...
Jan. 2 at 12:32 pm:
LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!! :)
 
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Missundrstoodx2This 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. 31, 2011 at 12:57 am:
Bold and brave thought process - most are afraid to consider death or attempt to tackle the concept. I appreciate the humor, your destruction of 'functional fixedness' as you force us to consider the different uses of bones, and therefore our different uses and purpose on this earth when we are long gone. Keep it up
 
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SchuylerThis 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. 21, 2011 at 12:49 pm:
I really enjoy the tone of the poem it  sounds really sweet and amazing 
 
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MichaelaBurdick666 said...
Dec. 12, 2011 at 9:58 am:
this is amazing :).
 
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SaskiaBlu This work has been published in the Teen Ink monthly print magazine. said...
Dec. 11, 2011 at 1:55 pm:
I just joined this site and this is the best poem I have read. Your imagery is provocative and unique and bright. You managed to make a poem about death uplifting and beautiful. Bravo.
 
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sjohnson said...
Nov. 30, 2011 at 12:16 pm:
this is very insightful on your views of death
 
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ababuryan said...
Nov. 24, 2011 at 2:35 am:
love it! i dont think it's creepy at all, i actually think it's very clever and deep :)
 
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ShannahThis 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. 28, 2011 at 11:56 pm:
I loved it! i thought it was very interesting and true when I die I don't want my bones sitting in the ground rotting. Let them be used!!
 
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Lexce Mayberry said...
Oct. 28, 2011 at 11:33 am:
I really like this and i have enjoyed reading it
 
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Lexie96This 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. 22, 2011 at 6:44 pm:
Creepy, but good; deep. Think any of you could check out some of my work sometime?
 
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RandomRandaThis 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 9:03 am:
its good! i love it! keep writing!
 
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heather_marie said...
Oct. 6, 2011 at 10:04 am:
i think it's a lil creepy but i like it!
 
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HateKnuckleThis 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 8:24 pm:
This is wonderful. Sorry to advertise but I am desperate. I only have three so it shouldn't be that bad. Please look at them and tell me what you think. Be honest.
 
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BieberLover16This 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 9:00 am:
that's deep...i love it!!
 
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theJewThis 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. 18, 2011 at 1:52 pm:
very deep im at loss of words right now
 
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paigeturner9This 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...
Sept. 14, 2011 at 7:04 pm:
this is unbelievable! Such a great poem :)
 
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WeAllBurnThis 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. 9, 2011 at 11:18 am:
THIS IS AMAZING <3
 
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LittleMissSunshine08_11This 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. 1, 2011 at 9:33 am:
...Wow... :)
 
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chdinic said...
Aug. 23, 2011 at 6:37 pm:

awesome :) very creative

 

 
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takeitasitisThis 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. 23, 2011 at 12:22 pm:
Magnificent.
 
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scrambledmind said...
Aug. 20, 2011 at 12:47 pm:
WELL SAID... 
 
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peaceandloveandjesus said...
Aug. 18, 2011 at 5:28 pm:

why do i love this so much?

 

 
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radicalhonestyThis 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. 14, 2011 at 12:17 pm:
This is unique and beautiful. I think I've interpreted (sp?) the first stanza, but the next two are so deep i can't begin to comprehend them. Could maybe explain it to me? thanks so much :D
 
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ohheyyyelli said...
Aug. 1, 2011 at 11:54 pm:
Strangely beautiful. (:
 
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MeaghanSeesStarsThis 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...
Aug. 1, 2011 at 10:27 am:
it's different....but well written.
 
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marissa87 said...
Aug. 1, 2011 at 9:50 am:

beautiful! i love it. it is strangly interesting.

 

 
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Julez1D1This 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. 29, 2011 at 12:39 pm:
Beautiful.
 
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brookeyThis 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. 10, 2011 at 5:52 pm:
weirdly interstin i love it
 
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StromsAComin said...
Jul. 10, 2011 at 5:13 pm:
i liked the use of words and the meaning behind it. its really good
 
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ElleNicole said...
Jul. 10, 2011 at 1:25 pm:

I love this... so unique. Great great job!

Check out my work?

 
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-DreamForever-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...
Jul. 10, 2011 at 12:03 pm:
This is so amazing. I've fallen in love with it. Great job!!
 
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Pooja11 said...
Jul. 10, 2011 at 10:47 am:
It's epic! I like that figurative meaning behind it all and that subtle commanding tone. 
 
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EmiLundThis 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. 7, 2011 at 6:40 pm:
i feel like i know her.
 
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K.M.S.Shear said...
Jun. 18, 2011 at 7:54 pm:
I have never seen a poem like this but I love it.
 
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iluff2singThis 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...
Jun. 18, 2011 at 7:41 pm:
This is such a good poem. It is so deep and meaningful, which is the most important part of writing, the heartfeltness. 
 
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WishfulDoerThis 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...
Jun. 18, 2011 at 4:03 pm:
I absolutely LOVE this poem. I can't explain it, but I feel something when I read it.
 
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ExpRESsY0uRselF said...
Jun. 18, 2011 at 10:54 am:
This is a really beautiful poem, and I absolutely love the words you used. Great job! Also, if anyone has time, please check out my poem, The Girl Inside, and other poems! Thanksss! :)
 
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TheSGF said...
Jun. 1, 2011 at 5:26 pm:
i absolutely love this poem. It's my type. Please write more your a genius! :)
 
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LanielooThis 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 27, 2011 at 10:23 pm:
wow, I absolutly LOVE this poem! it's my new favorite!
 
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spencyThis 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 27, 2011 at 10:33 am:
nice peom....itzvery nice.....ilove it...
 
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Kayseababy143 said...
May 27, 2011 at 12:26 am:
your writing is very goood, great jobb! :)
 
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dell said...
May 26, 2011 at 1:27 pm:

 

 

THE LOVE OF GOD:all because of the love of GOD he created PARADISE FOR MANKKIND .A SKY WONDERFULL 

 
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RachelHuber said...
May 25, 2011 at 11:59 am:
this so different i love it hope to read more from you:)
 
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