shattered remains

By Malak Ibrahim, 16, Pennsylvania

i have spent my life under a rock 

not knowing what it means to live

i’ve spent my life in solitude

waiting for the moment

when i wake up and discover that i’m 

not alone 

i stare into the mirror, not only at myself 

but at the memories long past

my eyes start to water, 

filling up with the overwhelming doom and despair

that enveloped the rest of my life

i know that i’ve never truly experienced being alive

and that for the rest of my life

no matter how hard i try, 

my attempt at living will be just that 

an attempt

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This poem, funnily enough, was written while watching Dead Poets Society. While not a personal favorite, I couldn’t help but draw connections between the characters and my own life.

TikTok: @tiktokmalakk

Photo by Eyasu Etsub