If I Were a Teen
(in pandemic time)
If I were a teen,
I’d read a book, I guess
Something touchable to do
I’d go outside as often
As I could,
Though the freedom
Would be limited
Because I’d have to talk
With friends six feet away
And never play
If we wore gloves
(latex inside leather),
Could we play catch?
I might have a phone
And thankful for
The blanking skills I have
To focus on the screen,
Missing everything
Else around me
I’d play something,
I suppose, on the computer
Gaming with my friends
Making new ones
As teammates across
The world, perhaps
If only in
Competition
I’d have meals with my
Family, because that would
Become important
Maybe I’d eat less and
More often
I’d take walks for exercise
Volunteer to walk the
Dog, if I have one
I’m sure there are calisthenics
To go through inside
But really
This would be the strangest
Time for me
I should be in school, though
There might be good things
In being away
But after a while I might
Find it all ridiculous
How do I finish my grade?
Do I start over?
Will what I have to do at home
Be enough?
Will I know what
I really need to know?
Maybe I’d learn something
New
Maybe I’d re-appreciate
My siblings, if I have them
Maybe I’d also
Try not to be afraid
Because people I know
Or I
Might get sick
Or might die
I hear the numbers
Of people doing each
I’ll do chores
And try not
To drive anyone at home
Crazy, crazier
Because that could get serious
I’ll try to be thankful
Though at my age
That’s hard
But not impossible
This time is not impossible
C L Couch
Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash
April 27, 2020 at 6:26 pm
I can’t imagine being a teenager at this time, Christopher, although you’ve imagined it quite nicely. I think I would have gone stir-crazy and driven my parents and siblings all crazy as well, if the teenage me had to exist during this pandemic. When I was a teenager, I didn’t know how to be away from my friends, but now, as an aging adult, I can do it all quite easily. Thank you for this poem from a teen’s perspective. 🙂
April 27, 2020 at 7:11 pm
You’re welcome, Cathy, and thank you for your response. I don’t know how I would have coped or managed, either. I would have been (still am) the middle child, so I guess I would have gravitated from older ones to younger ones. Maybe I’d have gone to one set simply to be away from the other!
April 28, 2020 at 1:48 pm
I’m the oldest in my family; we were five siblings, until my brother died at age 26. My next youngest sister, who I’m close to now, and I used to fight like cats and dogs, literally rolling on the floor clawing and screaming at each other. I don’t even remember what we fought about. And I was very rebellious toward my parents. It would NOT have been a good situation for me to be stuck at home with my family! 🙂
April 29, 2020 at 6:22 pm
Yeah, there’s nothing like growing up to bring siblings together. At least that’s what happened in my family as well. I’m sorry to hear about your brother dying and so young.
April 29, 2020 at 6:23 pm
Thank you!