Somewhere in the middle
Liza Ortego
A journey lies ahead
for all teenagers today.
A journey to adulthood,
our youth to kiss away.
But as we find ourselves
at a truly awkward stage.
We're partial, unripe, sketchy and crude
at this tender age.
We're old enough to make a choice
yet still young in many ways.
Too young to pack our bags and go,
too old to want to stay.
Young enough for fun and games,
too old for carefree lives.
Young enough for hopes and dreams,
yet for reality we strive.
Old enough for heartfelt pain,
too young to find the cure.
Too old for childish ways of past,
too young to be mature.
Old enough to fall in love
and give our hearts away.
But, still too young to understand
just why we feel this way.
We're trusted, loyal, proud and true
yet scolded, sneered, and scorned.
Between the role of adult and child,
we are somewhere torn.
Like an uncomplete work of art,
we're awkward, unsure, half-baked.
But be patient please
for we're on our way
to becoming something great.
Questions
1. What is the rhyme scheme of this poem?
2. How many stanzas are there in this poem?
3. What is the title of the poem?
4. Who is the author of the poem?
5. Who is the poem about?
6.1 Line 7. What do the words “partial” and “crude” mean?
6.2 Why does the poet use these words in reference to teenagers?
6.3 How does this relate to your experience as a teenager?
7. Line 14. Why are teenagers “too old for carefree lives?”
8. 1 What is the poet suggesting when she says: “Yet for reality we
strive?”
8.2 What is the tone of this line?
9. Provide a simile from the last stanza.
10. Provide antonyms for the words : “awkward/patient/scorned”
11. Provide synonyms for the words: “great/hopes/tender”
12. What is the tone of the last stanza?
13. What part of this poem holds the most true to you?
Somewhere in the middle- MEMO
1. Abcb
2. 8
3. Somewhere in the middle
4. Liza Ortego
5. Teenagers
6.1 partial: not complete
Crude: not refined, unpolished
6.2 It is how the teenagers in the poem are. Teenagers are still in their
developing stages so they are not fully developed yet.
6.3 Own answer
7. They are at a stage in their lives where they need to become more
responsible.
8.1 They want what is ‘real’(adult) , and this may not be in line with their
dreams.
8.2 realistic /serious
9. Like an uncomplete work of art
10. Confident, impatient, respected/accepted
11. awesome/ good, desire/dreams, gentile/fragile
12. Hopefully expectant
13. Own answer