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War-paint

July 20, 2011
By DeusExMachina SILVER, Reading, Pennsylvania
More by this author
DeusExMachina SILVER, Reading, Pennsylvania
7 articles 6 photos 93 comments

Favorite Quote:
The universe was exploding, each particle away from the next, hurtling us into dark and lonely space, eternally tearing us away from each other--child out of the womb, friend away from friend, moving from each other, each through his own pathway toward the goal-box of solitary death

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I made a war-paint today;
mashed berries and
Root
provided color while the
stone Ground in Fear.

Streaks on my chest and
thighs
that prove my strength
and turn blue as I struggle stop
me from thinking
too far ahead

She told me about the silly game
I was playing and
naturally,
I became afraid of that lacking.
She laughed and traced the paint
with a fingernail while whispering
that Fear doesn’t exist.

I fought with him
but he was as strong
or stronger than myself
and when I opened my eyes
I saw that his chest and his thighs
Reflected back at me my own War-paint;
and I cried
for the both of us.

© Rachel P., Wailuku, HI

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JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 36 comments.

DeusExMachina SILVER said...
on Jul. 29 2011 at 11:10 am
DeusExMachina SILVER, Reading, Pennsylvania
7 articles 6 photos 93 comments

Favorite Quote:
The universe was exploding, each particle away from the next, hurtling us into dark and lonely space, eternally tearing us away from each other--child out of the womb, friend away from friend, moving from each other, each through his own pathway toward the goal-box of solitary death

View profile
haha yeah I hate it when I have to do that xD
DeusExMachina SILVER said...
on Jul. 29 2011 at 11:09 am
DeusExMachina SILVER, Reading, Pennsylvania
7 articles 6 photos 93 comments

Favorite Quote:
The universe was exploding, each particle away from the next, hurtling us into dark and lonely space, eternally tearing us away from each other--child out of the womb, friend away from friend, moving from each other, each through his own pathway toward the goal-box of solitary death

View profile
Thank you, and the flow you're talking about may be because of my personal style... Though I experimented more with this one, its pretty true to most of my poems.
DeusExMachina SILVER said...
on Jul. 29 2011 at 11:07 am
DeusExMachina SILVER, Reading, Pennsylvania
7 articles 6 photos 93 comments

Favorite Quote:
The universe was exploding, each particle away from the next, hurtling us into dark and lonely space, eternally tearing us away from each other--child out of the womb, friend away from friend, moving from each other, each through his own pathway toward the goal-box of solitary death

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You're probably right, I'm sure it means something different to everyone. thanks!
DeusExMachina SILVER said...
on Jul. 29 2011 at 11:07 am
DeusExMachina SILVER, Reading, Pennsylvania
7 articles 6 photos 93 comments

Favorite Quote:
The universe was exploding, each particle away from the next, hurtling us into dark and lonely space, eternally tearing us away from each other--child out of the womb, friend away from friend, moving from each other, each through his own pathway toward the goal-box of solitary death

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I'm glad someone noticed! :) thanks!
leafy said...
on Jul. 28 2011 at 5:25 pm
leafy, City, Other
0 articles 0 photos 682 comments

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nice poem, although for the flow kinda bothered me, but you might have been meaning to do that. keep up the good work!
leafy said...
on Jul. 28 2011 at 5:24 pm
leafy, City, Other
0 articles 0 photos 682 comments

Favorite Quote:
Gil: I would like you to read my novel and get your opinion.&nbsp;<br /> Ernest Hemingway: I hate it.&nbsp;<br /> Gil: You haven&#039;t even read it yet.&nbsp;<br /> Ernest Hemingway: If it&#039;s bad, I&#039;ll hate it. If it&#039;s good, then I&#039;ll be envious and hate it even more. You don&#039;t want the opinion of another writer.&nbsp;

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lol me too the longest i went looking for the perect photo was like about 5 minutes, and then i just decided to go ahead and pick an ok photo :)
trampledsun_ BRONZE said...
on Jul. 27 2011 at 9:25 pm
trampledsun_ BRONZE, Bristol, Connecticut
1 article 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
Whatever happens, happens. If you waste your time clinging to the past, your whole life will revolve around a figment of days gone by.

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This is great! I had to read it twice to understand it, but it probably means something different to everyone who reads it. That's what I like about this poem; You have to let it sink in.<3
PaigeStreet PLATINUM said...
on Jul. 27 2011 at 4:19 pm
PaigeStreet PLATINUM, Juneau, Alaska
47 articles 0 photos 218 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Stay golden&quot;<br /> - Johnny (The Outsiders, S. E. Hinton)

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Honestly I can't say much about this content... I don't "get" it, really. But I like your structure, and how you arrange each line evenly in the first three stanzas, even if you don't use tradition meter. Like thighs and stone and naturally. It has structure and variation. 
DeusExMachina SILVER said...
on Jul. 27 2011 at 10:26 am
DeusExMachina SILVER, Reading, Pennsylvania
7 articles 6 photos 93 comments

Favorite Quote:
The universe was exploding, each particle away from the next, hurtling us into dark and lonely space, eternally tearing us away from each other--child out of the womb, friend away from friend, moving from each other, each through his own pathway toward the goal-box of solitary death

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Wow. Thank you so much! You really don't know how much that means to me :) and if its one of your favoites, you should favorite it ;)
ohmakemeover BRONZE said...
on Jul. 26 2011 at 10:20 pm
ohmakemeover BRONZE, Centerville, Minnesota
3 articles 0 photos 98 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Touch comes before sight, before speech. It is the first language and the last, and it always tells the truth.&quot;- Margaret Atwood

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This is one of my favorite poems that I've read on Teen Ink.  The imagery is just beautiful, the message can be heard in so many different ways, and it has a certain strength that I can't pinpoint.  This is really a winning poem, I love it.
DeusExMachina SILVER said...
on Jul. 23 2011 at 9:40 pm
DeusExMachina SILVER, Reading, Pennsylvania
7 articles 6 photos 93 comments

Favorite Quote:
The universe was exploding, each particle away from the next, hurtling us into dark and lonely space, eternally tearing us away from each other--child out of the womb, friend away from friend, moving from each other, each through his own pathway toward the goal-box of solitary death

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awesome! Thanks for the feedback!
DeusExMachina SILVER said...
on Jul. 23 2011 at 9:39 pm
DeusExMachina SILVER, Reading, Pennsylvania
7 articles 6 photos 93 comments

Favorite Quote:
The universe was exploding, each particle away from the next, hurtling us into dark and lonely space, eternally tearing us away from each other--child out of the womb, friend away from friend, moving from each other, each through his own pathway toward the goal-box of solitary death

View profile
Thank you! and yeah I always try very hard to find just the right one.  I usually go through at least twenty sets of ten hahaha
TheHangingGirl BRONZE said...
on Jul. 23 2011 at 5:25 pm
TheHangingGirl BRONZE, Winter Haven, Florida
1 article 1 photo 250 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Poets utter great and wise things that they themselves can not comprehend.&quot;

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AWARD WINNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just astounding.

Kai17 GOLD said...
on Jul. 23 2011 at 1:11 pm
Kai17 GOLD, Spokane, Washington
17 articles 5 photos 339 comments

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This poem was really well done. The picture matches with it, too, which can be hard to find.
DeusExMachina SILVER said...
on Jul. 22 2011 at 9:57 pm
DeusExMachina SILVER, Reading, Pennsylvania
7 articles 6 photos 93 comments

Favorite Quote:
The universe was exploding, each particle away from the next, hurtling us into dark and lonely space, eternally tearing us away from each other--child out of the womb, friend away from friend, moving from each other, each through his own pathway toward the goal-box of solitary death

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haha thanks! And I'd tell you, but curiosity killed that cat, didn't it? ;)
thetruthawaits94 SILVER said...
on Jul. 22 2011 at 4:41 pm
thetruthawaits94 SILVER, Duncan, Oklahoma
9 articles 0 photos 351 comments

Favorite Quote:
Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, but learning to dance in the rain.

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I like the descriptions! What exactly is this poem about though? I'm curious. :)