American Dream | Teen Ink

American Dream MAG

By Anonymous

so this is where all the dreaming takes me
to a cold, empty reality
with sleep still in my eyes
shivering, confused, I must’ve overslept
now it’s time to wake up
one last yawn, then face the lies
I’m barefoot and the streets are rough
paved with broken glass
but that’s okay
’cause the land is flowing
with milk and honey
bread and butter
and justice
if you just keep on going ...





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This article has 160 comments.


Escape said...
on Mar. 3 2010 at 8:36 am
I definitely love the alertness in the poem, the main point is sort of fuzzy at first but then driven home to where the American Dream lies. I love it. Wonderful work.

bmmsjc said...
on Mar. 2 2010 at 10:11 am
it's a great poem

Lay18 PLATINUM said...
on Feb. 23 2010 at 8:56 am
Lay18 PLATINUM, Portsmouth, Virginia
30 articles 0 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
Live and Learn

this is wonderful!

Thrush BRONZE said...
on Feb. 9 2010 at 12:52 pm
Thrush BRONZE, Tegaad, Other
4 articles 0 photos 65 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Live life to it's fullest extent, it's the only life you've got" "Enjoy yourself, be yourself, love yourself"

This poem is full of the dream of everyone, the dream that sometimes we don't even know we're dreaming, for happiness and survival, very true, very powerful.

Holmes SILVER said...
on Jan. 18 2010 at 4:46 pm
Holmes SILVER, Olathe, Kansas
5 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
"It's only when we've lost everything that we're free to do anything."- Fight Club

Do you think you can take a look at some of my work and give me some creative critisism?

Holmes SILVER said...
on Jan. 18 2010 at 4:45 pm
Holmes SILVER, Olathe, Kansas
5 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
"It's only when we've lost everything that we're free to do anything."- Fight Club

i love this poem. very intense.

on Jan. 18 2010 at 3:37 pm
hello.beautiful PLATINUM, New York, New York
35 articles 29 photos 67 comments

Favorite Quote:
Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. -Habakkuk 1:5

"one last yawn, then face the lies"

-i love that line(:

on Jan. 18 2010 at 11:37 am
PunkRockLobster GOLD, Manhattan, Kansas
17 articles 4 photos 25 comments

Favorite Quote:
Carpe diem quam minime credula postero (Seize the day, trusting as little as possible in the future)<br /> And if not now, when?

This wonderful, I love the sense of bitter hopefullness :)

and the subtle irony

Cfaith2 BRONZE said...
on Dec. 27 2009 at 12:14 pm
Cfaith2 BRONZE, Kitty Hawk, North Carolina
4 articles 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
Laugh when you can,<br /> Apologize when you should,<br /> And let go of what you can&#039;t change.<br /> Kiss slowly,<br /> Play hard, <br /> Forgive quickly,<br /> Take chances,<br /> Give everything<br /> And have no regrets.<br /> Life&#039;s too short to be anything but happy &lt;3<br /> - Audrey Hepburn

i really love the way you wrote this, your imagery is lovely- bravo

on Dec. 14 2009 at 11:37 pm
sarahmarie SILVER, Escondido, California
5 articles 16 photos 28 comments
very uplifting. i like how it's written. a lot.

on Dec. 5 2009 at 4:33 pm
SweetHeart_707 SILVER, Lakeville, Minnesota
7 articles 0 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;It&#039;s not called being conceited, it&#039;s called being optimistic&quot;

I love the scattered thoughts and you have wonderful imagery, as *SWEETS* also said. This was very well written, it's very true.

on Dec. 5 2009 at 12:50 pm
RiggedSoul BRONZE, Newport News, Virginia
3 articles 0 photos 1 comment
This is a great poem. It has a very deep meaning to it........... again good job

*SWEETS* said...
on Dec. 5 2009 at 11:19 am
This is okay.. spend more time with it.

good imagery

Schubster said...
on Nov. 13 2009 at 9:30 pm
i love the rhythm and flow here. Very nice job. check out my work?

peach<3 GOLD said...
on Nov. 13 2009 at 5:47 pm
peach<3 GOLD, Portland, Oregon
15 articles 7 photos 29 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional.&quot;<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> - Unknown author.

That's sad but true. Great job!

on Nov. 13 2009 at 5:24 pm
Poet_in_Motion PLATINUM, Sharon, Massachusetts
24 articles 0 photos 40 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Love one another.&quot; &ndash;George Harrison (his last words)<br /> <br /> &quot;and down they forgot as up they grew&quot; &ndash;e.e. cummings<br /> <br /> &quot;The sea is just a wetter version of the sky...&quot; &ndash;Regina Spektor

Beautiful. I love it.

on Nov. 13 2009 at 4:30 pm
This captures the true essence of American life.

almost_there said...
on Nov. 13 2009 at 3:52 pm
Wow, I really like the concept explored here. Great job, very true and deep. Keep up the good work

on Nov. 13 2009 at 8:42 am
dylonmichael GOLD, El Dorado, Kansas
10 articles 3 photos 118 comments

Favorite Quote:
i have two one is &quot;live life as if it were your last day on earth&quot; and two is &quot;never make some one your everything because when they leave you you have nothing&quot;

LOVE THE POEM

on Sep. 30 2009 at 1:51 pm
munkyman95 GOLD, Medway, Other
18 articles 1 photo 100 comments

Favorite Quote:
I will become, what I know I am&#039; Michael Jordan

very moving and sobering