My Life-- A Poem

My Life

My life was as boring as a clean black slate

Until the Chief Elder sealed my fate

During the Ceremony of Twelve, she’d skipped me!

And later told me that I’m the next Receiver of Memory…

My heart had skipped to my throat!

My courage had sailed away in a sailboat…

On my first day of training, I met the Giver

And after that my grey skies became azure

In the Annex room, I felt pleasure and pain

After that my life was colourful and never mundane…

I found myself yearning more and more

To experience life in days of yore

I wanted the freedom to choose!

To bemuse or to confuse

To laugh or to cry

To have cake or pie

I tried sharing them with my friends and Lily

But they couldn’t understand why I was being uncanny

Then once, as I thought about the beautiful sail

I was putting Gabe to sleep, making sure he doesn’t wail

And all of a sudden, it became dimmer

The memory had lost its shimmer!

I was giving it away!

But I stopped halfway

The fact that I can Give memories frazzled me greatly

I could still see the memory but rather dimly

But mostly, I was thrilled to be able to share my memories

I was frightened and yet I felt like I owned golden Geese.

I found myself learning many things too!

What is hue and what is dew

What is lame and what is shame

What is fame and what is flame

What are bees and what is Release and—

Hang on. “Giver, what exactly is Release?”

He showed me what it was and then—WOW! I’ve HAD IT!

I allowed shock to break me apart bit my bit

Release was… was… was… MURDER!

And performing it on a baby was my FATHER!

I was (looking for the right word) traumatised!

I simply… capsized!

“This cannot go on” the Giver and I decided

We racked our brains and pondered…

What action do we take?

That’s it! An escape I’ve to make!

To transmit my Memories to the people

So that they’ll realise that they’ve been brutal.

Apprehension covered me like a coat

But I reclaimed my courage from the sailboat

We made a plan, a possible sovereign remedy

We thought some more and finally were almost ready.

I went “home” the next day, tired and displeased

As, to my distress, I found out that Gabe is to be Released!

That night, I brought forward the plan I made with the Giver

You know, the one we made to deliver

The people of the Community from Sameness

But I took Gabe with me too, away from the greyness

We cycled and made our way to Elsewhere

Initially, search planes searched for us everywhere

But I used memories of snow

To make us as cold as Pluto

Days whizzed past like aeons

But my trudge was still as interesting as crayons

I began to exist in the world in my memories

I truly experienced Nature and its beauties

I was growing increasingly tired

For Elsewhere I longingly desired

Then I saw something glaring white – snow

I cuddled Gabe close to me; I was shivering, wobbling like Jell-o

I climbed up a snow hill

Gathering up every bit of skill

I heard something sweet; harmonious

I saw something bright, glorious

It’s still freezing probably colder than Pluto

But I wouldn’t have a chance to know

For I felt the warmth of love wrapping me like a blanket

And Gabe too! I smelt something wonderful – omelette

But the presence of family and love beat them all

“Jonas!” “Gabe!” They started to call

They welcomed them into their dwelling, I mean home

It felt like eating honey, straight from the comb!

I would never trade this for anything

Not even for more frosting!

By Yours Truly =)

Sincere thanks to Alysia Lim, a source of inspiration =)

Hope You guys enjoyed it and hope it wasn't too long!=)

I wrote this poem from Jonas' point of view from the moment he was Selected to become the Receiver to the point where he and Gabe found a home "Elsewhere".The ending was speculated, though.

Simple similes and rhymes are used. For example " I felt like owning golden geese" and "eating honey, straight from the comb" (I hope) shows that Jonas is simply stated, happy.

This poem depicts Jonas' feelings at various points of his memory-receiving journey and during his journey to Elsewhere. Happiness, shock and wonder are examples of emotions and feelings he feels. He truly feels these emotions after receiving memories. The last few stanzas also involve LOVE. This strong, genuine and not at all obsolete liking for another person is displayed by Jonas towards his friends, his family, Gabe and the Giver.Which is precisely why red was the first colour he saw.

There are a few instances of colour in this poem. From "grey skies" to "azure" skies, we can see Jonas' progress in seeing colours.

Lets observe a few stanzas, shall we, folks? The first stanza is about Jonas being Selected to become the next Receiver of Memory. He feels unprepared to be burdened with such a huge responsibility. The fourth stanza shows his desperation to share his memories with others. The seventh stanza portrays Jonas' stupefaction in discovering that to Release was to murder and that his father was a murderer. In the eleventh stanza, Jonas brings forward his plan, to save Gabe's life and hence is displaying his affection and love for him. In the last two stanzas, Jonas and Gabe reach Elsewhere, are jubilant and are warmly welcomed by a family. " I would never trade this for anything, not even for more frosting" actually is supposed to mean that he was eating frosting for the first time and absolutely loves it but loves the feeling of love more.