On Life Not Having a Pause Button | Teen Ink

On Life Not Having a Pause Button MAG

August 30, 2010
By amyscarlett BRONZE, Santa Monica, California
amyscarlett BRONZE, Santa Monica, California
3 articles 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
Exit smiling. - From Catch 22


She likes a boy
And her grandfather's in a hospital
Some six thousand miles away,
Surviving every day but
Slowly losing his smile.
She likes a boy
And her grandfather has thirty-six
Tumors on his spine,
Two in his pancreas
And says he feels fine but
He's refusing to eat.
She likes a boy
And her grandfather might not
Make it until Christmas,
Her grandfather who played chess
And laughed his chesty laugh
And poured her wine she wasn't
Really supposed to have.
She likes a boy
And she doesn't know if she should
Keep on living or
Pause,
Temporarily, and pray that
Her grandfather, who sat every morning
Reading the paper and jumping at her hello,
Could make it through.
She likes a boy
And her grandfather was never religious,
And he wants to live so badly,
Because he never wants to waste a second
Of what he has,
Because life is the only thing that is
Solid and certain.
She likes a boy
And she feels selfish, living
When her grandfather's life is so tentative,
But when she tries to
Pause,
She can't get life to stop.
She likes a boy
And she walks with him
And she thinks of her grandfather
And she lives
Because it's the only thing
She knows she can do.


The author's comments:
I wrote this when my grandfather fell ill and I felt like I should have dropped everything that was going on and focused on him, but it was so hard.
Anyway, Rest In Peace, Granddad! I'll miss you a lot.

Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 6 comments.


on Jan. 15 2015 at 11:53 pm
NobodyElse BRONZE, Arlington, Washington
3 articles 0 photos 3 comments
Totally agree, I love the repetition.

on Jan. 28 2012 at 10:10 am
otherpoet SILVER, Wayland, Massachusetts
6 articles 9 photos 254 comments

Favorite Quote:
"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone." - Audrey Hepburn

Excellent poetry. You captured your emotions so well. I hope your grandfather knows how much you love him. Great work!

on Jan. 27 2012 at 8:46 am
chloena_garrett GOLD, Colorado City, Texas
19 articles 13 photos 180 comments

Favorite Quote:
At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet.

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.

A poem is never finished, only abandoned.

Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.

This is amazing. I like the repitition. It helps justify the mood of the poem. i'd love for you to look at some of my poetry and leave a comment telling me what you think.

KayKay6 GOLD said...
on Jan. 27 2012 at 7:29 am
KayKay6 GOLD, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
10 articles 0 photos 33 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Poetry comes from the heart, it is not something that is just made up"

This was a really good poem, I like the effect of the repetition like when you said "she likes a boy". The title was also really good, it was what got me to read this poem. Nicely done. =)

-Duckie- GOLD said...
on Aug. 27 2011 at 6:53 pm
-Duckie- GOLD, West Fargo, North Dakota
18 articles 0 photos 127 comments

Favorite Quote:
Your heart is a weapon the size of your fist. Keep fighting. Keep loving.
-Anonymous

I'm so sorry about your grandfather :( I love the title to this peice and everything about it, love it love it love it

on Jun. 24 2011 at 2:20 pm
lolxxaddict BRONZE, Doha, Other
2 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring."
— Marilyn Monroe

I love thisss ! Sorry For Your Loss :(