I Can't Keep My Own Secrets

by Larry Smith

  —Emily Victoria H.

  I define bisexuality. Not vice versa.

  —Annelies D.

  Am a ballerina, still totally clumsy.

  —Emma W.

  Freshman: first love.

  Sophomore: first heartbreak.

  —Rosalie A.

  Dying to smoke,

  smoking to die

  —Christina M.

  Hated every hipster. Now I’m one.

  —Susan D.

  I enjoy black-and-white television.

  —Cara Z.

  Jailed dad and patient mom. Divorced.

  —Carolina J.

  I dance

  with skeletons

  from closets.

  —Ilana S.

  Take me back to swings, fireflies.

  —Cimara D.

  Lost a dollar; found a five.

  —Charmaine T.

  I tried to conform. It backfired.

  —Kylie N.

  Small-town girl,

  big-city dreams.

  —Sara A.

  Learned sarcasm.

  Sorry, it’s outta control.

  —Kevin W.

  Queer,

  gay,

  homo,

  faggot:

  just labels.

  —Callan H.

  New state,

  my past is private.

  —Katherine P.

  He said bye with YouTube links.

  —Melissa B.

  Hold my insulin, not my hand.

  —Cody S.

  Thank god I am an atheist.

  —Chelsea C.

  Monsters under bed remain, just changed.

  —Carolyn S.

  Seventeen, pregnant. He’s off to Iraq.

  —Casey M.

  Maps make the journey less interesting.

  —McAllister C.

  I’ll have a True Hollywood Story.

  —Eric V.

  Almost graduated and I’m scared shitless.

  —Chelsea U.

  Childhood fantasy: Living in a library.

  —Bethany B.

  Views on

  life,

  love,

  universe:

  TBA.

  —Charlotte T.

  Not used to smiles.

  Prefer smileys.

  —Caroline B.

  Eating is harder than it looks.

  —Ava C.

  Love my dog more than Mom.

  —Sarah G.

  I don’t know if I believe.

  —Abigail D.

  Experimented once.

  Almost died.

  Experimented twice.

  —Camila G.

  Broken.

  Loved anyway.

  I’m so thankful.

  —Kayla P.

  I never got to tell him….

  —Vanidie S.

  Experimented once.

  Almost died.

  Changed forever.

  —Stephen B.

  My mom

  had my boyfriend

  deported.

  —Candra T.

  My heart belongs to New York.

  —Samantha M.

  In the nest, twigs are sharp.

  —Justin M.

  Never felt beautiful without my piercings.

  —Jeniva Q.

  Haven’t talked since. Heartbroken since February.

  —Jorge A.

  Computer ate my soul.

  Yours, too.

  —Lindsey Elise S.

  Desperate to explore, yet stuck here.

  —Ruth C.

  Laughed at all the wrong moments.

  —Kierra B.

  I miss all my imaginary friends.

  —Stephanie C.

  I like taking pictures of feet.

  —Elyse B.

  I’m seventeen,

  engaged,

  and not pregnant.

  —Delaney P.

  Scared of God,

  curious of occult.

  —Jessica B.

  I traded my brick for straw.

  —Laney F.

  I draw my dreams in crayon.

  —Riley S.

  In Scouts eight years, still there.

  —Lance W.

  American girl infatuated with British boys.

  —Nicole M.

  I have accepted your abandonment, Dad.

  —Anisa M.

  Came out to Mom. All better.

  —Kaitlyn S.

  We are banned

  from Wal-Mart

  forever.

  —Kristin S.

  I saw it coming. Wasn’t prepared.

  —Ezabell T.

  Anything’s possible

  in dreams and fanfic.

  —Paige M.

  I will be a paramedic someday.

  —Lauren B.

  Perfectionistic poets

  don’t make good money.

  —Emily H.

  Short trans male.

  Looking for love.

  —Shae G.

  Dying to go to boarding school.

  —Sonia B.

  I fulfilled my

  awkwardness quota today.

  —Maggie A.

  Mixed race. What am I now?

  —Aaron B.

  Brain too big,

  boobs too small.

  —Jeanie A.

  Heart: romantic;

  head: cynic;

  together: torn.

  —Jenny S.

  He only knew one word: meh.

  —Olivia G.

  I’ve loved her for eight years.

  —Alice L.

  Got three sisters and two dads.

  —Ella R.

  Have permit. Still can’t drive away.

  —Maryssa B.

  Premature midlife crisis at age seventeen.

  —Aqila A.

  My scars:

  Everybody stares.

  Nobody asks.

  —Bonnie B.

  Eighteen feels like eighty. Disability sucks.

  —Claire G.

  Tired of waiting to be older.

  —Nicole P.

  Parents are separated. Have two homes.

  —Autumn M.

  Pack a day (chew, not smoke).

  —Talia M.

  Always the friend,

  never the girl.

  —Kristy D.

  Called to ministry. Can’t tell anyone.

  —Christina N.

  Praying that “adulthood”

  doesn’t mean “amnesia.”

  —Betsy O.

  Abused child found invincible love within.

  —Francine H.

  Lived vicariously.

  Laughed gregariously.

  Died virgin.

  —Payal S.

  Would be happier with her sister.

  —Landon O.

  I discovered myself through being Jewish.

  —Sarah D.

  Living off Advil

  and peanut butter.

  —Sylvia Y.

  Another Indiana night spent at home.

  —Emili H.

  Fell in love with best friend.

  —Magie F.

  Guitar string snapped. I kept playing.

  —Paige M.

  I’m losing faith, slowly but surely.

  —Katheryne L.

  Hit and ran.

  Crashed and burned.

  —Zoe A.

  Fourteen years old, eight months pregnant.

  —Ashley W.

  Everything is gone

  but the song.

  —Chris M.

  Built a bridge;

  it burned down

  —Amanda B.

  He’s gay.

  He’s still my father.

  —Mary L.

  We’re the family you gossip about.

  —Steven M.

  All that I need are animals.

  —Ashley C.

  I tried to make it work
.

  —Kendrah H.

  Former saint.

  Now look at me….

  —Siobhan C.

  The Beatles really said it all.

  —Mary Kate C.

  I made captain, then some enemies.

  —Molly B.

  Only perfect when playing The Sims.

  —Ashleigh B.

  Drawing blanks,

  shooting blanks,

  filling blanks.

  —Katie W.

  My brain’s

  a box of crayons.

  —Ayana M.

  I got arrested. I saved him.

  —Emily Y.

  I miss when boys had cooties.

  —Mary Elizabeth P.

  My friends are strangers in chatrooms.

  —Stephanie S.

  Want to be good so bad.

  —Mieke R.

  I’m too afraid to be myself.

  —Marissa K.

  Planned parenthood: saved mine, took hers.

  —Emma L.

  Married at seventeen,

  best decision ever.

  —Robin W.

  I secretly want to be androgynous.

  —Mercy P.

  Life’s full of “awkward turtle” moments.

  —Anna S.

  I’m waiting for my real name.

  —Joseph E.

  Unique in high school equals freak.

  —Maryanne H.

  Against all odds,

  I’m still myself.

  —Maya A.

  Some days sucked.

  Sun still rose.

  —Mary H.

  I lied so you wouldn’t worry.

  —Jordan S.

  Overachieved. Love high school. Now what?

  —Meghan M.

  Life lessons found in Scrubs episodes.

  —Ria H.

  FYI: I am not my illness.

  —Erin M.

  Chubby, but love to be naked.

  —Alyssa F.

  I’m here because of the scholarship.

  —Anna M.

  First love was worth every tear.

  —Anne K.

  Found God in bucket of paint.

  —Alex W.

  I haven’t cried in seven years.

  —Megan M.

  Called walrus.

  Should probably feel insulted.

  —Clara Y.

  Model and sci-fi geek. Gotta problem?!

  —Lucy A.

  I am in a love pentagon.

  —Marissa D.

  Our love survived judgment and heartache.

  —Colleen M.

  Dreading being too busy for music.

  —Jo B.

  Coach ignored me.

  He’ll regret it.

  —Maeve M.

  I hate being the poor one.

  —Morgan Y.

  I pretend to be a vegetarian.

  —Liana J.

  Momma was my life. She’s gone….

  —Hannah S.

  My boyfriend thought I liked girls.

  —Lovelyn C.

  Replaced Prince Charming with someone real.

  —Jessica T.

  Misunderstood,

  but I’m still standing strong.

  —Mary C.

  Love sucks,

  so I discovered poetry.

  —Quanesha W.

  I was named after a store.

  —Lauren B.

  My heart is in India.

  Sorry.

  —Michelle K.

  Still have nightmares of sixth grade.

  —Jackie V.

  My dad is a compulsive hoarder.

  —Katy J.

  Tired of being the smart kid.

  —Danielle B.

  Sometimes I secretly watch

  Hannah Montana.

  —Emily T.

  Playground hierarchy was so much easier.

  —Poppy R.

  Can’t stop pulling out my hair.

  —Bianca B.

  I’m poor. I’m going to Harvard.

  —Hope P.

  Want

  to

  jump,

  afraid

  to

  fall.

  —Johannah W.

  I am a tough young broad.

  —Lacy B.

  Summer romance:

  It never lasts long.

  —Kyla M.

  Always wanted

  to meet Ellen DeGeneres.

  —Mackenna C.

  Don’t leave me;

  Daddy already did.

  —Jordan B.

  I needed Daddy;

  he needed meth.

  —Alison W.

  I beat bulimia, you can too.

  —Kristin B.

  Parents left me at a party.

  —Lauren J.

  I was born differently—original since.

  —Vicki J.

  I miss your Swedish Fish kisses.

  —Carah N.

  The razor never loved me back.

  —Alyssa L.

  Half black/half Italian. In Utah.

  —Haylee H.

  I always spell my name backwards.

  —Hannah F.

  Started

  forgetting

  about

  life

  before

  Katrina.

  —Grace H.

  Blessed with friends; cursed with secrets.

  —Joseph B.

  I think in full, correct sentences.

  —Jamille R.

  Mum’s a hairdresser. I’m going university.

  —Mia W.

  My parents think it’s their fault.

  —Caleb G.

  Love:

  not enough,

  all there is.

  —Katie B.

  He was the cutest stepping-stone.

  —Stephanie G.

  Thought I was gay.

  Guess not.

  —Xenia P.

  Simple is desirable.

  Complex is realistic.

  —Kathryn A.

  Lies didn’t work for earning popularity.

  —Nicole M.

  I almost blew up a microwave.

  —Deanna B.

  Holden caught me in the rye.

  —Brittany F.

  Found home somewhere far from familiarity.

  —Arden B.

  Small genetic condition ruined my life.

  —Beth S.

  Strangers make me happier than friends.

  —Kara T.

  Sarcasm:

  shown to those who care.

  —Paige K.

  Eventually gave up on blue hair.

  —Kelsey A.

  Afraid I’ m crazy,

  Bell Jar style.

  —Annikka T.

  415 mg of caffeine per serving.

  —Elizabeth B.

  I still read children’s fiction books.

  —Jenna P.

  Lost myself in his flaring anger.

  —Asmi H.

  Frankly, I don’t give a damn.

  —Karyn L.

  Insert melodramatic cliché-teen ick here.

  —Jordan E.

  Shot for Ivies.

  Missed.

  Community College?

  —Kenzie M.

  I dislike even numbers a lot.

  —Katherine S.

  Returned home, remembered why I left.

  —Kendra L.

  I like myself more without makeup.

  —Kelley M.

  Her touch made my scars beautiful.

  —Kelli G.

  I want to launch a filibuster.

  —Allison H.

  Seventeenth birthday, no word from Dad.

  —Keara F.

  Becoming a psychiatrist to

  understand myself.

  —Kayalee S.

  Feeling my age. Not liking it.

  —Abigail B.

  School.

  Soccer.
/>   Sweat.

  Rinse.

  Homework.

  Repeat.

  —Kerri S.

  I giggle to cover all emotions.

  —Jessica S.

  All year prefect.

  One day rebel.

  —Kirren vW.

  Once a cynic. Love changed that.

  —Kristen M.

  My short hair makes me brave.

  —Jordyn T.

  Identified more with lyrics than people.

  —Jessica S.

  My single mom raised me well.

  —Brittany R.

  Slept with a forty-year-old.

  —Jackie R.