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oracle-of-nonsense —
Twenty: I'm afraid I'm growing old
Published: 2012-09-20 21:53:37 +0000 UTC; Views: 7148; Favourites: 313; Downloads: 156
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Description
i.Coupons and sales magazines
have become more than just junk mail
and the holes in my pants
seem more patchable
and I wonder just how much
my sparse jewelry would fetch
if I said I saw the face of Jesus
in the glimmer of my pearls.
ii.
I am beginning to miss the sea I grew up on
so much that I will read bad poetry
just for the mention of a salty ocean breeze.
I feel landlocked and sometimes I'm afraid
that I will never see the world
until I have retired from it.
iii.
Faith says her life is full of asking.
I wish mine were full of answers,
but I too have many questions
and only Time will answer them for me.
iv.
My mother just turned sixty
and her eyes when she looks at herself
in pictures from the '70s
makes me realize
that my time, however long,
is short.
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Comments: 123
Wow. Thank you for this. I am twenty, and I think it's awesome that you, as a 51 y/o, can relate to this. I feel that means I have accomplished part of my purpose, and covered my desired subject well. Thank you so much for your answers to my questions, I greatly appreciate this, and it's nice to know that you understood what I wrote, connected to it, and enjoyed it.
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I did indeed. Thank you for writing such an excellent poem.
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For one who often has a hard time both reading and understanding poetry, there's poems like this which I just love for their simple wording and message. I think many people can relate to this, me included. Definitly worth a fav
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I feel like you took everything I've been feeling and transformed it into words.
I'm about to turn twenty-one. I've been feeling like this a lot over the last year.
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I'm sorry you've been feeling this way, it's pretty shitty. :/ But I'm glad you could identify with the poem.
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That it is. But such is life, I suppose.
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I'm 25 and sometimes it seems like my life is already over. I hate to think how i'll feel when i'm 30. Nice to know i'm not the only one who feels like this.
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Hey, it's not over until it's over, you know? You still have a chance to change the way you feel about your life.
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Wow. It's very rhythmic, and the simple words and phrasing keeps the poem together.
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I love this poem!!! Well done. I congratulate you on a well-deserved DD!
I think section poems are cool, too.
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These are out of order, oops!
1. I like the first stanza. It gave me a mental image of the narrator. The other three stanzas are more introspective thoughts of the narrator; the first stanza is the only one that gives you a clue of what the person looks like:
and the holes in my pants
seem more patchable
and I wonder just how much
my sparse jewelry would fetch
I think that's important for the reader to understand the position--almost to say class and perspective-- of the narrator, so the thoughts and reasoning of the narrator can be taken as they are meant to be.
2. I'm not sure if I'm grasping the intended theme, but the stanzas feel like they naturally match together for me. I see the longing, the aging, the sense of being more mature, growing up. Its a very relatable feeling especially to people who are just coming into their own. From the comments sections I can see that you've reached an audience that most relates to this, (18-26ish~) and I think this poem fits well with most people's thoughts at that age.
3. I do like the ending, it leaves with a resounding note, the last, most important thought feels like it's still floating in the air even though you've finished reading.
Last thing, grats on the DD!
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Awesome, that's really what I wanted the first stanza to do, give a more personal picture of the speaker, and where they are in their life, economically as well as mentally and emotionally, because I think that changes the perspective on aging, longing, etc.
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment on this! It really means a lot to me
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No problem! I try to comment on most of the works I enjoy, just because I assume most authors appreciate more specific feedback other than "Good," or "I like it." lol.
It definitely adds to the narrator that we know they are poorer; He/she feels like they have so much yet to do, but we can assume that they are unable due to their current financial situation.
Again, great job.
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Ohhh, we really do. 
Again, thank you
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The first stanza is my favourite if you got rid of it I would just... I don't know, please don't get rid of the first one.
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Haha, I don't believe I will be.
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I related so much with the ending. Just turned twenty myself.
Don't change it...
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this sure tugged on my heartstrings! congratulations on the DD!
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Most welcome, sugar!
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This is a very interesting poem. Maybe I just find it relevant because I just turned 20, but I like it.
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I'm glad you find this work relevant to your life
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I like the first stanza and the whole poem! I really enjoyed this.
I wish you'd change the title, though - it sums up the message of the poem, so the reader doesn't get to figure it out for his or herself. I think it's nice to mention that you're only twenty in the title, though. It influenced how I read the poem.
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I'm absolutely shite with titles, so I really appreciate that suggestion. I definitely want to keep the age in there.
Thank you
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Strangely, I started worrying about old age and death early in life, too. It's one of the drawbacks of being the type of person who thinks a lot and seldom lives in the moment.
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It does seem like a drawback, but I like to think it forces me to appreciate life more as well
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Very many things about this poem speak to me. You capture a lot of tiny nuances about age 20 that most others would not have known about. I like it very much as it is and think you made brilliant decisions regarding the title, structure, and ending. Congratulations on a DD well deserved, and thank you.
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Well, I try to write honestly and specifically about things that happen to me. I guess that's where the nuances come from. Thank you very much for the comment and congratulations. :]
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well done! I think back now ( about 9 years) and 20 was a really big year of change for me. I know many people who think " i'm told 20's are the best years of my life, really?"
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Same for me, it's my first hear of rentor-ship and living completely away from my hometown and family. It's made me appreciate my parents (and my hometown) a lot more. 
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Just make sure to enjoy them, missed out on the first 5 by worrying to much
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Thanks for the advice, will definitely try my best
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lol i'm turning 20 years old today.
this poem feels very relevant.
grats on the DD.
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Happy birthday! Belatedly.
Thank you
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Life is strange, isn't it? A few years ago I didn't care about poetry, but now I write poems myself.
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That seems to be the way of it for many people
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We grow older, we get more mature and we find ways to express what's going on in our minds. It's the human nature.
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Ideally, yes.
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Well, at least that's how it went for me. But I realize I'm an exception.
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in some days.. i will have twenty, and that makes me afraid, but the people doesnt understand that, the life is becoming simple, and all that beautiful mysteries are dissapearing... i have to do something but i dont know what..
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Happy early birthday! I don't think the mysteries are disappearing...perhaps just becoming more difficult to find. If you look, and allow yourself to be touched by them, you can still find them.
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