Pledge | Teen Ink

Pledge MAG

November 23, 2008
By sarah.s SILVER, Attleboro, Massachusetts
sarah.s SILVER, Attleboro, Massachusetts
8 articles 0 photos 24 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect; it means you're capable of looking beyond the imperfections." --Anonymous


From this point forward
I will not stand
to be unhappy
any longer.
I will not stand
to be broken down,
broken apart,
broken-hearted.
From this point forward
my success does not depend
on my waistline
and my strength does not depend
on my weakness.
My biggest fear is not
the nutrition label.
From this point forward
I will not worry those
who love me.
I will not look at those
with hip bones
and rib cages
and be jealous.
I will not be afraid
to eat the birthday cake
you made me.
I will not measure
every morsel as if
any more would make
it poison.
From this point forward
food is not my enemy
and Ana is not my friend.
Size zero is not beautiful
and 90 pounds is not ideal.
I am no longer
enslaved by my scale
and it is not an awful day
when I weigh enough
to donate blood.
From this point forward
the only things coming
out of my mouth will be
words.
I will no longer be called
Disgraceful,
Disgusting,
Distasteful.
From this point forward
I am
Inspired,
Indestructable,
Independent.



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This article has 518 comments.


on Jan. 16 2010 at 1:52 pm
sasssgirrrl22 PLATINUM, Pearl River, New York
27 articles 0 photos 266 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Giving up is not a part of my vocabulary."
"Don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game."
"Truth be told I miss ya, truth be told I'm lying."

wow. incredible. very inspiring :))

on Jan. 16 2010 at 1:49 pm
Ms.Understood, Laramie, Wyoming
0 articles 0 photos 82 comments
This is such an otimistic piece. I'm sure it will inspire many who have gone through what you have gone through, to pledge to get past what troubles them.

on Jan. 16 2010 at 12:34 pm
kpayy5 PLATINUM, Nantucket, Massachusetts
48 articles 0 photos 13 comments
That was amazing. I think it just about made my day. Keep doing what you're doing, you don't need to change a single thing about your writing

on Jan. 16 2010 at 11:39 am
StreetLightsFade GOLD, Commack, New York
11 articles 0 photos 2 comments
its beautiful

Moetry BRONZE said...
on Jan. 16 2010 at 11:11 am
Moetry BRONZE, Eagan, Minnesota
1 article 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?"
- Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

I'm sure the message is empowering and all, but this more closely resembles prose, not poetry. The rhythm skips and the meter is nonexistent. Plus, it doesn't rhyme, which is okay in most cases, but based on the literal language of this work, I'd say it lacks too much aestheticism.

kaeny BRONZE said...
on Jan. 16 2010 at 12:14 am
kaeny BRONZE, Mississauga, Other
4 articles 0 photos 2 comments
This is beautiful. Thank you.

I have struggled with AN as well, and this poem really touched me. I have been in recovery for a year now, but reminders like this are what keep me going.

Again, thank you.

on Jan. 3 2010 at 9:00 pm
WriterFanatic PLATINUM, DesMoines, Iowa
24 articles 0 photos 184 comments

Favorite Quote:
A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave.
By Gandhi.

Wow. The reason this poem is great is because it comes from personal experience. Good work, keep it up!

sarah.s SILVER said...
on Jan. 3 2010 at 4:56 pm
sarah.s SILVER, Attleboro, Massachusetts
8 articles 0 photos 24 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect; it means you're capable of looking beyond the imperfections." --Anonymous

Yes, it is. I struggled with eating disorders from 6th grade through this very day (first-year in college). It peaked my junior year of high school; I absolutely obsessed. I went from a size 7 to a 0, I wouldn't eat more than 100 calories per day... I was a mess. And I lost control of everything else in my life. When I realized how poorly it was affecting my relationships with my friends, family, and boyfriend (at that point, we'd been together for 2 years), I started to recover.

Eating disorders are HORRIBLE, and very, VERY life-consuming. Like I said, to this very day, I still struggle. I have relapses every few weeks. But I am much healthier now, and try to be strong. I don't wish this upon ANYONE. So if my poem can help ANY of you readers, I will feel like I've done my job as a survivor.

on Jan. 3 2010 at 3:43 pm
WriterFanatic PLATINUM, DesMoines, Iowa
24 articles 0 photos 184 comments

Favorite Quote:
A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave.
By Gandhi.

Brillian brilliant brilliant!! Tell me, is this coming from your personal experiences?

Ridelova101 said...
on Dec. 25 2009 at 8:47 pm
I LOVE THIS POEM!!!

on Dec. 25 2009 at 7:16 pm
iAmTheStardust PLATINUM, Moon Twp., Pennsylvania
36 articles 1 photo 94 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The prettiest flowers grow in the biggest pile of manure."

wow this poem really inspired me. i have been having arguments in my head and this broke the tie! keep writing!!!

on Dec. 25 2009 at 4:28 pm
scarletP SILVER, East Lansing, Michigan
8 articles 0 photos 30 comments

Favorite Quote:
"A smart girl listens but doesn't believe, kisses but doesn't love and leaves before she is left."
-- Marilyn Monroe

powerful...beautiful....keep it up!

hinderarmy said...
on Dec. 25 2009 at 11:21 am
Very Nice, keep it up, and thats sooooo true, your image of yourself shouldnt be based on what uour waistline is :)

Cfaith2 BRONZE said...
on Dec. 25 2009 at 11:20 am
Cfaith2 BRONZE, Kitty Hawk, North Carolina
4 articles 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
Laugh when you can,
Apologize when you should,
And let go of what you can't change.
Kiss slowly,
Play hard,
Forgive quickly,
Take chances,
Give everything
And have no regrets.
Life's too short to be anything but happy <3
- Audrey Hepburn

This is amazing! You've spoken out for a lot of us, and I couldn't stop smiling while I read this!

on Dec. 15 2009 at 4:48 pm
The_Girl_Next_Door PLATINUM, Elkins, Arkansas
32 articles 1 photo 43 comments

Favorite Quote:
~*The mind has but a thousand eyes, and the heart is left with one...Yet the light of a whole life dies the moment love is done.*~

Oh my god! I love that. You tell it like it is. Keep it up. Many people should feel the same.

false_pen GOLD said...
on Dec. 5 2009 at 7:10 pm
false_pen GOLD, Dallas, Georgia
12 articles 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
i am a dreamer.
in life i create, in creating i live- me, Klaus!

ivan and craig ike it

on Dec. 3 2009 at 10:15 pm
teenwrite123 BRONZE, New York, New York
2 articles 0 photos 42 comments
This poem is inspirational, it made me confident, it made me feel beautiful it gave me the confidence to not panic when I took a major test an hour ago because I didn't have to worry about weather or not the person next to me thought I had a big stomach.

sarah.s SILVER said...
on Dec. 3 2009 at 10:01 pm
sarah.s SILVER, Attleboro, Massachusetts
8 articles 0 photos 24 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect; it means you're capable of looking beyond the imperfections." --Anonymous

Thank you thank you thank you all!! I am so very touched to see how many people this poem has affected. Blessings <3

sarah.s SILVER said...
on Dec. 3 2009 at 10:00 pm
sarah.s SILVER, Attleboro, Massachusetts
8 articles 0 photos 24 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect; it means you're capable of looking beyond the imperfections." --Anonymous

Well, Marx and Klaus... thanks for the feedback!

When Ivan and Craig wake up, let me know what they think!

on Dec. 3 2009 at 8:22 pm
IsobelFree DIAMOND, Hamilton, Other
71 articles 20 photos 296 comments

Favorite Quote:
"As long as there is open road, the familiar has the most formidable competitor." - Anonymous

Um, well, THAT'S constructive. Not. If you think it sucks, explain yourself. Personally, I really like this poem. It really shows this author's personal growth in a creative way. (Good job, btw!) I don't see why you don't like it, but if you really don't, justify your opinion, please.