Developmental Purgatory




Eighteen, nineteen, twenty
not quite an adolescent,
an adult, but not quite yet independent,
trapped between two life stages,
in limbo, in a purgatory,
condemned developmentally

In this purgatory,
having some, but not total freedom
the pleasure to come and go as you please,
but can't stay out all night, what a tease,
old enough to smoke,
watch p*rn*gr*phy, get tattoos, and vote,
but not quite old enough to gamble,
go to clubs, casinos, bars,
drink more than you can handle,
old enough to invest in higher learning,
work an entry level job, take out a student loan,
live with roommates, or alone
but not old enough to buy a home

At a time of wanting love and companionship,
but can't find a mate who will stay faithful and commit,
one to have, to hold, with your heart to trust,
but there's no love, only lust,
kissing, groping, and casual sex, no strings attached,
lies, cheating, drama, mindset unmatched,
too old for toys,
but doomed to play childish games with little girls and boys

Eighteen, nineteen, twenty
not quite an adolescent,
somewhat an adult, but not fully,
worst feeling one could experience,
trapped between two states of existance,
slowly losing sanity,
in developmental purgatory
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Submitted on July 03, 2014

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:02 min read
1

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABbcaa axddxxexexffx xxgghhii ABaxcaa
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,168
Words 204
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 6, 13, 8, 7

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