The Way To Live | Teen Ink

The Way To Live MAG

October 19, 2009
By ZackHarmes BRONZE, Trinidad, Colorado
ZackHarmes BRONZE, Trinidad, Colorado
2 articles 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
I pray that my loneliness might spur you to find something good enough to live for, something great enough to die for. - Joy Begley.


All my sanity I would give,
If I could choose one way to live,
That would be in the surreal,
Where I eat bottle caps in my cereal:
A place where the sky is not blue,
And telephones answer you,
A place where I could laugh and dance and sing,
And watch pink elephants grow wings.
Oh, would it be so bad
To have Franz Kafka as a dad?
To live in a nation
Where rational thought is against the law,
And beauty is found in every flaw?
Where up is down,
And down is sideways,
Where the sun rises at 3 a.m.
Always –
A place where you use turtles as car keys,
And Republicans believe in Anarchy,
A place where you never ask the question, “Why?”
And if you keep your feet on the ground,
You know how to fly –
A place where you never say sorry,
For finding God in a portrait,
Of Salvador Dali –
Why can I not live there?

This earthly world is so unfair,
A place filled with black and gray,
A place where I cannot stay,
Where reality makes me gag and choke,
And I only glimpse my dreams
Through handfuls of smoke.
Oh, I would shatter this ground and burn this sky,
I would fill this grave in which I lie,
If I could spend just one day,
Living in a surrealistic way –

Climb the hill and hop the fence
To a place where nothing makes sense.


The author's comments:
I wrote this while inspired from visual work by Salvador Dali and literature from Franz Kafka. I realized that surrealism is written in the spur of the moment. I found a note pad and a pen and wrote it in ten minutes.

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This article has 9 comments.


on Apr. 27 2012 at 6:39 pm
Wilson1994 GOLD, Holywood, Other
10 articles 0 photos 17 comments

Favorite Quote:
'Nothing lasts forever. Forever's a lie. All we have is what's between hello and goodbye.' Unknown

Outstanding, I wish I could evolve my emotions like this in my work! The imagery you use is captivating and very original, it's amazing to see work like this, please, please could anyone have a glance at my work and help me to even be half as good as this beauty!

on Sep. 26 2010 at 9:40 pm
sonnysulouff BRONZE, Clarendon Hills, Illinois
4 articles 0 photos 34 comments
I absolutely love this poem! It's freakin awesome. I would love it if you would check out some of my stuff. Great work! :)

on Apr. 27 2010 at 8:45 pm
ZackHarmes BRONZE, Trinidad, Colorado
2 articles 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
I pray that my loneliness might spur you to find something good enough to live for, something great enough to die for. - Joy Begley.

Which saying was that?

on Apr. 27 2010 at 8:30 pm
aliveonink GOLD, Rochester, Minnesota
10 articles 0 photos 27 comments
this is really good!it reminds me of my favorit saying from alice in wonderland

on Mar. 12 2010 at 11:53 pm
enchanted4yu PLATINUM, Calabasas, California
24 articles 0 photos 103 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Don't tell me the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon"

This is one of the best things I've read on teen ink. You're great. I can *feel everything you mention... ur a rlly talented writer ;]

moose BRONZE said...
on Mar. 2 2010 at 8:35 pm
moose BRONZE, Fort Dodge, Iowa
2 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
we end up regretting the things we don't try

amazing. I can see your style in it too. I like it.

sydizzle said...
on Feb. 22 2010 at 10:46 pm
this is pretty amazing, good job.

lillygm SILVER said...
on Feb. 21 2010 at 12:23 pm
lillygm SILVER, River Forest, Illinois
5 articles 0 photos 1 comment
This reminds me of Dr. Seuss, it's very whimsical and visual.

berly12 said...
on Feb. 21 2010 at 12:07 pm
Wow amazing ! that is so good!