The Anti-Teen-Angst Poem

The Anti-Teen-Angst Poem (or "Today I've Decided That Life is Unfair")

Today I've decided that life is unfair
'Cause I don't have cool clothes like the in-crowd kids wear.
And my mother won't let me put gel in my hair!
For my tragic existence, does nobody care?
Today I've decided that life is unfair.

My favourite T-shirt was all dirty and wrinkled
My sis took the last Pop-Tart, with icing and sprinkles.
My folks said I'm too selfish, they're so unaware
That today I've decided that life is unfair.

Got an F on a test, 'cause I'm too cool to study
Got dissed 'cause I'd gossipped about my best buddy,
A car splashed my leg, now my pants are all muddy!
I'm feeling so hopeless, I want to despair,
'Cause today I've decided that life is unfair.

I'll go get some piercings, I'll dress in all black,
Get a skull and a serpent tattooed on my back!
Hey world, I'm depressed, can't you cut me some slack?!?!
I know that my classmates will whisper and stare,
But today I've decided that life is unfair.

As I walked home from school, whilst I wallowed in gloom,
I saw in a gutter, unwashed and ill-groomed,
A man who had nothing. Until now, I'd assumed
That I had it the worst, that nobody cared,
After all, I'd decided that life was unfair!

As I looked at this man, and he slowly gazed up,
And jingled the change in his worn paper cup,
His clothes were unruly, and so was his hair,
Yet he spoke quite politely, (though his looks caused a scare),
"Kid, why do you think that life's so unfair?"

As I pondered his question, put myself in his shoes,
I realized contentment is something we choose.
For this man had so little, and I had it all,
Had a house, food, and water, which may appear small,
Had a family who loved me, and would always be there,
While he slept on cold pavement, 'neath streetlights' harsh glare,
This sobering lesson made me wholly aware,
That it's to MY advantage that life is unfair.


By: Emily, from Canada