Home
Young Writers Project
be heard
  • READ
    • Recent Table
    • Daily Read
    • Recommended
    • Recent Comments
      • Table-Users
    • YWP Newsletter
  • CHALLENGES
    • Weekly Challenges 18/19
    • Writing Contest: Invasive
    • Live Challenges
  • WORKSHOPS
    • Writing on the Roof
    • Events
    • Voices for Change
  • PUBLICATIONS
    • Anthology
    • Newspapers
    • VPR.net
    • VTDigger.org
    • The Voice-2.19
  • ABOUT
    • YWP is ...
    • Contact Us
    • Permission Form
    • The YWP FAQ page
    • Site Help
    • Community Leaders
  • Donate
  • LOG IN/JOIN
Previous Post
Next Post
Dec 14
poem 4 comments
Thenbenhappened

Yarn Can't Stretch Well

You got accepted today.
A school you’ve
Dreamed of going to
Since day one.
A little place
In Oregon.
Your lips pulled back,
Like theatre drapes,
In a smile that was
Beaming.
You fiddled with your
Sweater sleeve in ecstasy,
Tugging at the loose yarn
At the fringe.
I grinned and pulled you
Into my arms.
I told you,
You deserved it,
And I spoke the truth.
But did I deserve this?
I’m selfish,
For no real good reason,
We’re not even
The best of friends.
But the thought,
Of all that space
Between us,
Snips at my heartstrings
Like the rusted pruning shears
In my mother’s shed.
We would make arbitrary promises
To keep in touch.
But I think we both knew,
Distance and time,
Would unravel us.
 
  • Thenbenhappened's blog
  • Sprout
  • Log in or register to post comments
  • Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Posted: 12.14.17
About the Author: Thenbenhappened
MSG / CONTACT
RECENT LOVES
  • for my rainstorm
  • Why I March
  • Untitled Society Poem
  • sans embellissement
  • Dear Rebecca Holcombe
RECENT COMMENTS
  • Thank you so much!
  • That means a lot knowing you
  • That was the nicest comment I
  • Thank you Shannon!!!
  • This piece was definitely my

Other Posts by Author

  • The Poet in Hiding
    You asked me once,How to write poetry.Laughing a shameful laugh you Read more
    in poem 0 Comments
  • Everything Beautiful
    I think we bothRealized we weren’tRight for one another.You were the one Read more
    in poem 2 Comments
  • My Heart The Acorn
    My heart is silent,I tremble at this revelation.Veins pump soundlessly, Read more
    in poem 1 Comment

Discussion

Comments

  1. semacdonald
    Dec 15, 2017

    the last three lines in this are my absolute favorite and carry a lot of weight. i love this. great job.

    • Log in or register to post comments
  1. Thenbenhappened
    Dec 16, 2017

    Thank you Shannon!!!

    • Log in or register to post comments
  1. jbird18
    Dec 16, 2017

    Congratulations on being writer of the month! What Susan wrote in the issue about you being born a storyteller and being a graceful and empathetic writer is entirely true. You've done it again, conveying the intricate human interactions and emotions.
    You say so much and form such a complete sense of the feeling of the speaker through the title and the extended metaphor of the yarn. I always love poems with good titles whose significance changes or comes into focus after reading the poem. This is one of those poems.

    It's a beautiful poem, and so eloquently written.
    I know what you're talking about-- this situation of knowing you won't stay in touch with someone and that distance and time will unravel the two of you. It really does feel like rusted pruning shears sniping at your heartstrings. What a great way to describe it.
    I feel like this is one of those poems I'll be holding close in the coming months as my friends and classmates disperse to college and beyond. Thanks for this.
    - Janet

    • Log in or register to post comments
  1. Thenbenhappened
    Dec 17, 2017

    That was the nicest comment I think I've ever read, thank you so much!! :)

    • Log in or register to post comments
  • about
  • how to partner
  • for teachers
  • support us
​YWP  |  47 Maple St.  |  Burlington, VT  05401  | [email protected]  |  (802) 324-9538 
The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself. -- Albert Camus
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • Google+ icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Vimeo icon
  • YouTube icon
  • E-Mail icon