The Beast | Teen Ink

The Beast

August 7, 2014
By xiaose BRONZE, Lake Oswego, Oregon
xiaose BRONZE, Lake Oswego, Oregon
2 articles 0 photos 12 comments

There once was a girl
whose smile was as beautiful as
the satin shoes she danced in

One morning the girl awakened
Sitting on her bed
was a Beast

Dirt flaked off its grimy coat
leaving trails of black on her sheets
Bloodshot eyes flickered over her
examining every flaw

“Look at you, so plain”

The girl opened her mouth to argue
but The Beast was already gone

???????

It reappeared the next day

It followed her
to Math class
“You can’t solve this”
“You’re not smart enough”

It slunk behind her at lunch
“You can’t eat this”
“You’re already fat”

It shushed her
when she talked to boys
“He’ll never like you”
“You’re not even pretty”

At night
The Beast’s words circled around her
like vultures
drew closer and closer until they settled
onto her head
her bed
her carpet

???????

Months faded away
The words stayed

She repeated them in her head
on her lips
on her skin
in permanent marker
leaving trails of black on her sheets

Like a broken record
filled with distorted sounds

“You are nothing”

She traded in her dance shoes
for a knife
traced the tip over
her arm
imagined herself cutting away
to become

“Nothing”

………

One day, a handsome boy
touched her hair
and said he missed her smile

Her teacher complimented her
when she spoke in a class discussion

Her family hugged her
filling her head with
phrases she refused to believe until now:
“We love you”

“No they don’t”
The Beast sneered
“They’re lying”

The Beast moved closer
words oozing from his molded teeth

“You are nothing”

In The Beast’s bloodshot eyes
the girl saw her own reflection
Scared
Unsure
Plain
but far from nothing

“No!”
the girl growled

She grabbed the knife
and raised it above her head

“YOU ARE NOTHING!”
she screamed
slashing the knife down on the Beast

There was a shatter, a clang, and a clink…

…and the mirror lay broken on the floor


The author's comments:
I hope that this poem may help someone conquer his or her own Beast.

Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 7 comments.


xiaose BRONZE said...
on Aug. 21 2014 at 6:13 pm
xiaose BRONZE, Lake Oswego, Oregon
2 articles 0 photos 12 comments
Thank you! I'm so glad you like it.

xiaose BRONZE said...
on Aug. 21 2014 at 6:12 pm
xiaose BRONZE, Lake Oswego, Oregon
2 articles 0 photos 12 comments
Thank you for your comment :)

xiaose BRONZE said...
on Aug. 21 2014 at 6:12 pm
xiaose BRONZE, Lake Oswego, Oregon
2 articles 0 photos 12 comments
Thank you so much for your lovely comments. It made my day to know that I was able to accomplish my goal when I write: to touch others in a positive way. I'm sure that you will be successful in defeating your Beast. The most important thing is to have hope :)

on Aug. 14 2014 at 12:28 pm
Lysander PLATINUM, Bangalore, Other
40 articles 0 photos 87 comments

Favorite Quote:
I slay.

What a lovely poem!!!! Plz do keep writing such gr8 stuff......U're poem's just GR8 no words 2 describe it...

EttieGH GOLD said...
on Aug. 10 2014 at 12:49 pm
EttieGH GOLD, Mbabane, Other
15 articles 2 photos 46 comments
That is really good.It is really relatable for ALL teens today. I love it:)

on Aug. 9 2014 at 1:38 am
EmilytheBelleofA. DIAMOND, Athens, Georgia
81 articles 5 photos 1486 comments

Favorite Quote:
To love is to be vulnerable; Triumph is born out of struggle; We notice shadows most when they stand alone in the midst of overwhelming light.

Also, I forgot to say. I can connect to this. I understand. I hope to sew more of your work/poems/writing. You have talent. Thank you again.

on Aug. 9 2014 at 1:36 am
EmilytheBelleofA. DIAMOND, Athens, Georgia
81 articles 5 photos 1486 comments

Favorite Quote:
To love is to be vulnerable; Triumph is born out of struggle; We notice shadows most when they stand alone in the midst of overwhelming light.

Wow. This is deep, I mean really deep. Your poem is so powerful. It's amazing. Your poem is honorable, full of depth, honest, and all in all, full of you and amazingnessand your talent. I have just recently fought my Beast and to be honest, I'm still fighting my Beast now. But I know, that I am far from nothing, and I can fight my Beast. Even if I may go down, I will go down fighting. Thank you for sharign this. Your peom helped me a lot and made me think and encouraged me. Thank you.