Wiebe, S. (April 2003). How Can Thirteen Year Old Boys Write Love Poems? Educational Insights, 8(1). [Available: http://www.ccfi.educ.ubc.ca/publication/insights/v08n01/poeticpause/wiebe/13yearoldboys.html]

How Can Thirteen Year Old Boys Write Love Poems?

Sean Wiebe
University of British Columbia

Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter
                                                            -Keats

We can't write that

holding the controller
we feel most worthy
pushing buttons
on the projection of ourselves

gameboy hero

shining armor
confident in virtuality
the most real
TV courage—

but game over.    

Somewhere deep
is an un-person
unlocated in-between
the green of innocence
and the promise
between we can't
and    her

today unfeeling
tomorrow afraid
afraid of what
love gives back

We can't write that.

I am a stranger
 Unknown to my friends
   Unknown to myself

       She is my reputation
         She is about me
           And I am afraid of myself

We can’t write that.

we fear our lack
we fear pleasure
afraid of what
it gives back
not ready even to ask

afraid of what
expectations lie
in wait, hiding
in tension
like a spring coiled
we expect the snap back
to be injured and wounded
where it hurts most
under the facade

We can't write that.

I am a stranger
 Unknown to my friends
   Unknown to myself

       She is my reputation
         She is about me
           And I am afraid of myself

Who sits in this matrix wears our shoes even with feet too large ready to chop off our toes to save us from [            ] No Give back the controller back to our game as long as tomorrow comes an upgrade another level or edition then we remain
Gameboy hero	Jon Stamp

where we matter most
wearing the uniform
carrying the weapons
of potential
future hope

sure  still in the straitjacket of today’s
emotions illegitimate feelings
unadopted in reality
but who cares
accepted here

Can I  write that?  

game over  

I am not sure

 

Jon Stamp