Play the Game | Teen Ink

Play the Game

July 23, 2008
By jackscardino GOLD, Rochester, New York
jackscardino GOLD, Rochester, New York
16 articles 0 photos 0 comments

I play a game I cannot put away
And I hate to play it day by day
But if it keeps those memories at bay
Then I’ll stay
And I’ll play

They taught me when I was only three
When I couldn’t close my eyes and look away
I’d still hear them leaning over and they’d say
“Come on son, stay
Come stay and play”

And they told me growin’ in to my teens
“You gotta go and take one for the team”
And I couldn’t bear the losin’ or the blame
So I stayed
I stayed and played

I don’t want to sound like I’ve been played
I can take it for the choices I have made
But if all I need to do to win is pray
Then I’ll pray
I’ll pray to play

I play a game I cannot put away
And I hate to play it every day
But if there’s time for just one more game
Hey play with me
“Come stay and play”

The author's comments:
Song lyrics and rhyming poetry is my favorite type of writing style. It is almost completely what I write in, possibly because of the inspiration and fulfillment I get out of listening to music.

So it was about 1:30 in the morning and I had Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line" playing in my head. I liked the rhyming structure he had, and I began to write my own song that fit his structure and music. In about ten minutes, I ended with this piece.

The "game" is whatever you want it to be (or not to be). It's what puts you down and sits on top of you, and what you hate but can't live without. It is your addiction, faith, love, or pleasure. It eases you, but not without a cost. This piece is about people who bring you into a world where you are all you know is all that exists, and even when you grow up into the world that's really so much bigger than you can believe, you are still only left with what you have. The "game," could be anything from a drug addiction to the simplistic reality of your own fate.

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This article has 1 comment.


on Jul. 22 2010 at 4:13 pm
Lovebug07 PLATINUM, Topeka, Kansas
25 articles 0 photos 128 comments

Favorite Quote:
Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side effects. - Arnold Glasow

Wow this is really good!!! I know and understand everything your saying. I love this!!! :)