Angela | Teen Ink
  1. Home
  2. Poetry
  3. Free Verse
  4. Angela

Angela

March 9, 2011
By Anonymous

That pale little hand being led to the bedroom
Those corduroy jeans being tossed to the floor
That innocent smile as he leans in to kiss her
The green of her eyes as they lay down for more
The very same eyes I caught reading Harry Potter past their bedtime.

Those bouncy red curls flattened against the bedspread
Twisted and tangled and coated in gel
Those delicate hands exploring his body
Those tiny girl’s hands, that I knew so well
The very same that shook me awake year after year on Christmas morning.

What happened to the little princess?
The cross country runner?
The sweet baby girl?

The science fair champion:
Arching her back and closing her eyes
gasping and panting and
pulling him closer
To the body I held in the hospital.

The clumsy ballerina:
Being rocked back and forth
Going limp with pleasure
Sighing satisfied
With the voice that asked me for a later bed time.

My rosy cheeked child who loved musical theatre
and wore purple sweaters
is gone.

The author's comments:
A few weeks ago my best friend and I were sitting at her kitchen table just like we do every Tuesday after school and before play practice. Out of nowhere her mother burst into the kitchen holding the bottle of birth control pills that my friend had been taking behind her back. She didn't yell at my friend for hiding the fact that she'd been having sex from her, nor did she break into tears. She just stared at her daughter for the longest time with this penetrating expression on her face. For days it haunted me it was confused, wounded--indescribable. The pain I found in her eyes was my inspired this poem.

Note: The poem is entitled 'Angela' after the woman who's face inspired me. This name has been changed to protect her identity, and that of my friend.
Post a comment
Submit your own

Similar Articles

Previous Next
Poetry
Alone
By bitty09 SILVER
Claymont, Delaware
bitty09 SILVER, Claymont, Delaware
5 articles 0 photos 0 comments
View profile
Poetry
La Push
By Renesmeem BRONZE
SeaTac, Washington
Renesmeem BRONZE, SeaTac, Washington
1 article 0 photos 0 comments
View profile
Poetry
Doll House Living
By sgrace SILVER
West Chester, Pennsylvania
sgrace SILVER, West Chester, Pennsylvania
5 articles 22 photos 18 comments
View profile
Poetry
To a Brother Growing Up
By imperfection GOLD
Gilroy, California
imperfection GOLD, Gilroy, California
17 articles 9 photos 45 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Dream as though you&#039;ll live forever, live as though you&#039;ll die today.&quot;<br /> ~James Dean (1931-1955), American Motion Picture Actor, symbol of rebellion

View profile
Poetry
The Death Sentence
By Chris Shu BRONZE
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Chris Shu BRONZE, Fort Lee, New Jersey
1 article 0 photos 0 comments
View profile
Poetry
The Ending
By OurFrost GOLD
Galt, California
OurFrost GOLD, Galt, California
10 articles 1 photo 4 comments
View profile

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 164 comments.

Laura_Oliver GOLD said...
on Jul. 21 2011 at 6:41 pm
Laura_Oliver GOLD, Manchester, Connecticut
12 articles 2 photos 122 comments
View profile
This is really amazing. I'm not old enough yet to hear of friends doing that, so this is kind of a warning to me. Message received. Plus I would really appreciate if you could check out my other poems and leave some feedback.
ohheyyyelli SILVER said...
on Jul. 21 2011 at 4:56 pm
ohheyyyelli SILVER, Woonsocket, Rhode Island
5 articles 3 photos 178 comments
View profile
Wow, I really love this. For one, the meaning is amazing. The flow is great. The imagery too! Very well written. Overall brilliant poem[:
. said...
on Jul. 21 2011 at 4:38 pm
This is beautiful! The description on the side really helped.
Ashley Mason BRONZE said...
on Jul. 21 2011 at 4:16 pm
Ashley Mason BRONZE, Sturbridge, Massachusetts
4 articles 3 photos 11 comments
View profile
What an excellent poem. I would appreciate your comments on my poem, Briar Rose
Bambi67 SILVER said...
on Jul. 21 2011 at 3:51 pm
Bambi67 SILVER, Chicago, Illinois
9 articles 1 photo 58 comments

Favorite Quote:
remember that the future comes one day at a time. <br /> Dean Acheson

View profile
this is great!
Angie.Hudak GOLD said...
on Jul. 21 2011 at 2:31 pm
Angie.Hudak GOLD, Doylestown, Pennsylvania
10 articles 0 photos 42 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Hope for the best, expect the worst.&quot;<br /> &quot;One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.&quot; -Bob Marley

View profile
I am totally in love with this poem. I did the same thing, went behind my mother's back to have s.ex. And it soon spiraled out of control...but that's a different story. You're an amazing writer. If you get the chance, check out some of my writing. It's about the same kind of situations!
Rarity said...
on Jul. 21 2011 at 11:25 am
yes, but not every child becomes s. active before marriage...maybe the parent wasn't expecting for her child to take that step just yet.
Duckie430 said...
on Jul. 21 2011 at 9:27 am
Duckie430, Riverside, Rhode Island
0 articles 0 photos 228 comments

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;The secret to life is being who you are and being happy with who you are.&rdquo;<br /> &quot;Whatever does not kill you only makes you stronger.&quot;

View profile
great poem!
CookeysAndCream SILVER said...
on Jul. 21 2011 at 9:17 am
CookeysAndCream SILVER, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania
6 articles 2 photos 10 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions.&quot;-Augusten Burroughs

View profile
The comparisons were great, and you did a great job with the mother's perspective. It's very strong. Keep it up!
GenevieveR BRONZE said...
on Jul. 21 2011 at 7:36 am
GenevieveR BRONZE, Anonymous, Ohio
4 articles 0 photos 1 comment
View profile
Great poem! 4/5 I agree it's sad but only because the teen went behind Angela's back and wasn't honest to her mother about her decision in becoming s.exually active, so it hurt A's feelings. But every parent must go through this when their child becomes s. active.. feelings of "losing" their child, etc.
VitaLoyal GOLD said...
on Jul. 21 2011 at 12:35 am
VitaLoyal GOLD, Warrrenville, Ohio
15 articles 0 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
IAM SOMEBODY BECUZ EVERYONE IS SOMEBODY.love is a state of mind

View profile
I think it is very good.and you should like make it longer.
hallie523 said...
on Jul. 20 2011 at 5:17 pm
hallie523, Seattle, Washington
0 articles 0 photos 16 comments
View profile
i loved the comparisons of the things she did as a child and having sex and how you connected them with her eyes and hands and being a ballerina. I liked how you went back and forth between memories and imagining in a really fluid way. Can you comment on my poems? (some are still pending approval)
thecape196 BRONZE said...
on Jul. 11 2011 at 9:28 pm
thecape196 BRONZE, Oviedo, Florida
4 articles 9 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
The problem with not having a goal is you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score

View profile
that was an amazing poem!!! keep writing please! and if you have time can you review my work? thank you so much(:
inkers GOLD said...
on Jul. 10 2011 at 1:06 am
inkers GOLD, Midland, Texas
10 articles 0 photos 40 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;And the lamplight gloating o&#039;er him threw his shadow on the floor... and my soul from out that shadow... shall be lifted, nevermore!&quot; - Poe

View profile
This is very strong, and well written. The rythm added so much to this. Very well done. <3
Ellimee Pawn said...
on Jul. 1 2011 at 1:00 pm
I love how you turned one of your experiences into something everyone can understand. I feel the sorrow so deeply, you must be close to an adult!
aubs126 PLATINUM said...
on Jun. 30 2011 at 5:40 pm
aubs126 PLATINUM, Charlton, Massachusetts
26 articles 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;We are not now that strength which in old days <br /> Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are--- <br /> One equal temper of heroic hearts, <br /> Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will <br /> To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. &quot;<br /> <br /> Tennyson

View profile
Wow! That was amazing! I could really feel the emotion in that peice! Keep writing :)
Joele12 said...
on Jun. 30 2011 at 11:15 am
wow being caught taking birth control pills without your mom making a fuss about it makes you feel alot more worse taking behind her back. the look that mom gave her would probably haunt me too. but you did a god job inspiring it into a talented poem. keep up the good work.
paperandpen SILVER said...
on Jun. 29 2011 at 10:42 pm
paperandpen SILVER, Hutchinson, Minnesota
7 articles 0 photos 10 comments

Favorite Quote:
Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering. St. Augustine

View profile
amaaazing poem..
topofmylungs BRONZE said...
on Jun. 29 2011 at 9:32 pm
topofmylungs BRONZE, Windham, Maine
2 articles 0 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
For what it&#039;s worth: it&#039;s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There&#039;s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you&#039;re proud of. If you find that you&#039;re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.

View profile
Wow. Thats all I have to say. 
Annabelle294 SILVER said...
on Jun. 29 2011 at 8:22 pm
Annabelle294 SILVER, Branford, Connecticut
9 articles 0 photos 64 comments
View profile
I love the way you juxtaposed the whole scenario and made it into one captivating poem.