Becoming a Young Cynic

By Jen Selinsky

"Becoming a Young Cynic" was written during a time when the author was cynical about certain aspects of her life, though there are a few poems contain happier themes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jen Selinsky
• Release date: Sep 22, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370985944

Jen Selinsky

Jen Selinsky was born in Pittsburgh, PA. In 2003, she earned her bachelor's degree in English from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. In 2004, she earned her master's degree in library science from the same school. Jen has worked as a professional librarian for over twelve years. She has published more than 170 books, most of which contain poetry. Her work can be found on the following sites: Lulu, Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, Barnes & Noble/Nook, Smashwords, and Pen It! Publications. She has also been featured in publications such as: The Courier Journal, Explorer Magazine, Liphar Magazine, and Indiana Libraries. Jen lives in Sellersburg, IN with her husband.

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Becoming a Young Cynic

Jen Selinsky

Copyright © 2007 by Jen Selinsky

All rights reserved by the author. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of the copyright holder.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Cover Art Copyright © 1992, 2014 by Jen Selinsky and Travis Potts

ISBN: 9781370985944

*Not every poem included in this book is dated in chronological order.  This is not an oversight on my part. Rather, I have made changes and substitutions over the years.

-J.L.S.

The distance between us

Is far too great.

I wish you were by my side

So that I could hold you

In my arms.

It seems that ages have passed

Between the time during which

I saw you last.

A tide will ebb somewhere

Across the world,

And watches will be drawn in the sand.

Right now, I’m desperately in need of

Your hand.

Seagulls fly overhead,

And I am so lonely.

(And) nothing provided here

Will make the void disappear.

I hope the situation becomes

Better in the end. 

7/10/00

Farewell, my friend,

I hope this journey does you good.

Farewell, dear one,

May the rest of your days be filled with bliss.

Even though you’re leaving,

Never fear, for I shall keep you

In my heart—a place where you

Are safe from all harms.

And, with a mere beat,

A connection is made.

You and I shall become the same,

With our pulses running together.

Blood and veins make the thick

Transportation available for everyday use.

Love is going to come our way,

No matter how much others try to discourage

Its presence.

It’s coming… 

7/10/00 

The night is dark and desolate.

No stars are seen on the street—

Looking up at the cloudless sky.

Here I am waiting on the street

Corner; I’m waiting to see what

Happens.

I gladly inhale the fresh, night air.

That’s one thing that makes everything

So peaceful and serene,

And it’s the only thing that makes me

Feel secure.

A light breeze picks up,

And my hair floats loosely in the wind.

I am standing on the corner, waiting,

And I know that something is bound to

Happen soon… 

7/10/00

Just like an Adonis,

You have the build of a great statue,

And your heart, most likely,

Is made of pure gold.

Whose voice doth sound sweeter

Than any tune played on a lyre?

And I must confess he makes

Better music than the lute.

Even though he’s sometimes mute,

I enjoy the silence as it is stifled

From within.

Oh, can it be such a sin to admire

Such qualities

Fit only for a god?

How odd it is, you say, to consider

Quite an idea.

Yet, I take my own advice

And keep my head up in

The clear

Until something new and interesting

Breaks for the with the dawning of the day. 

7/10/00

I am starving for affection,

But my pride is on the other side of the room.

I came here for what I need,

And something is not fitting into my regime.

What’s wrong with this picture,

Nothing seems to be going the way I planned

(For it all to be).

The attention that I receive

Could lead to my downfall.

Strangling and stifling,

You let me go this one time.

Kicking and screaming all the way,

You can tell I don’t want to leave.

The air molecules get thicker,

And I find myself being unable

To breathe.

I am starving for affection. 

7/10/00 

How much of this is going to last?

My youth and beauty

Are going to be wasted.

All these years, I have come short

In my trying.

I should have kicked myself harder

Instead of finding comfort in crying.

I’m at a loss for words

Because I know not what to say.

Oh, no one’s here to comfort me,

And Time’s ticking off

The hours, while others

Laugh in my face.

Along with the loss of my youth and beauty,

I have the loss of innocence and freedom.

Decisions are coming up in my direction

And begging for me to let them be made. 

7/10/00

Where are you going to be when

I decide to call upon you?

No sense in asking now

Because neither one of us

Knows the answer.

Oh, I hope that you will

Be near so that we can go through

The process together.

What are friends for if they

Can only share

The good times and lose interest

In you when up come the bad?

That’s some kind of

Shallow relationship,

But the point is that

I need you in my life,

And you need me just as much .

Besides the fact that we’ve known

Each other for years,

Our love has grown

A tremendous amount.

So many obstacles presented themselves

To us, but they have failed

Because of our

Undying devotion to love.

Nothing shall ever stand between us

And how we feel for each other. 

9/20/01

Undermining Success 

We all should smile more

At your victories,

For failure is not a word

Listed in your vocabulary.

Some may take you for granted,

And others may erect a shrine

In your name.

Whatever the case,

They all have to know that you exist.

There’s no deciding,

Unless you’re right by my side.

Oh, failure is no match for you

Because you always prevail;

Decorate your halls

With the finest gold—

A treasure fit for a queen.

You will guide me through to the

Right path so that I will never get lost

Again.

And, I will never undermine

You as long

As I shall live.

Come with me now so

That we can be together,

So that nothing can tear us apart. 

9/20/01

Who was that man walking along the shore,

Bottom clad in black leather,

Body as thin as a rail?

His bare feet are kicking up sand

And they look like the diamonds

In the western, setting sun.

On Venice Beach in 1965,

The young man is about to meet

His friend upon his recent return

From a bummer acid trip.

Now, he is about to share his works

With this man—then the world,

Thus allowing a space to open up

For his name.

Oh, little does he know

That his face will be remembered

For years after he’s gone.

Desired by pretty, young women

Jealousy in handsome, young men.

It all reminds me of A.E. Housman poem,

To an Athlete Dying Young.

He maintained his youth in the

Harshest way.

He (shall be) loved and hated

Throughout the world at different times,

And nothing else will be