a heart with wings - un coeur aux ailes

the world, society as seen through the eyes of teenagers.

 

when the sky is getting dark
and night is falling
like plaster-work on walls
people gather below the
entrances of the city centre
at the subway exits
to look around and
to talk a little bit...

 

they severely told us
that we're not yet mature
to walk on our own
and that we're all equal
but we're the only ones
with a heart with wings
and nobody knows that
we will soon fly...

 

what do we do?
what do we do tonight?
where do we go?
where do we go without any idea?
before one strangles boredom...
what do we do? where do we go?
tonight...

 

for the moment people
start to walk around the city
to the edges of this province
along streets and squares
to hook up girls
that already wait
to see the coloured
day-break outside...

 

nobody has prepared us
for this world that
they forced upon us,
without giving us a chance to be heard.

therefore we are left with
hopeless and serious thoughts
and nobody knows what
an effort it requires to accept
this society which we did not create.

out of you, out of our minds,
what a crowd
what a life, and what remains of it......
we don't want this life of
charity, fake piety,
nobody has asked for it.....

especially not us.........

Let us be,

Set us free.....

For we are just hearts with wings.

 

   French Version (Version Francais)

 

quand le ciel devient
sombre et la nuit tombe
comme le plâtrage sur les murs
on se trouve en compagnie
sous les entrées du centre
aux sorties du métro
pour y regarder dedans
et parler un peu...

ils nous ont dit sévèrement
qu’on n’est pas encore mature
pour marcher seuls
et qu’on est tous égaux
mais un coeur aux ailes
il n’y a que nous qui l’avons
et personne ne sait
qu’il volera bientôt...

ce qu’on fait
ce qu’on fait ce soir
où on va
où on va hors d’une idée
avant qu’on y étrangle l’ennui...
ce qu’on fait, où on va
ce soir...

pour l’instant on commence
à faire un tour dans la ville
jusqu’au fond de la province
par les rues et par les places
à appeler les filles
qui s’y attendent déjà
pour voir dehors
l’aube à couleurs...

que personne n’a préparé
comme le monde
qu’ils nous ont donné
sans ne nous demander rien
c’est pour cela que les pensées
aussi grandes, aussi sérieuses
on les a nous aussi et personne
ne sait quel effort c’est...

hors de toi
hors de toi, hors de la tête
quels gens, quelle vie
et combien en reste
ce qu’on veut
n’est pas ceci
la charité, pitié fausse
personne ne l’a demandée...

Author's Note

when I was a teenager these are the thoughts my friends and I talked about.

Reviews

[Damian Alan Gray]

It is so very sad, the way we treat our young. Our world is in a shambles, and it is left to the upcoming generation to attempt some semblance of emendation. This cannot happen in the same fashion that we have treated the youth in years past. It must be by allowing them the voice to begin reparations now.

[Thanh]

well written, good job

[Sean M. Addams]

very thought provoking piece... good statements about youth made in this piece... great job on this

[[untitled]]

This was good. I think it says alot about young people. A good piece of poetry.

[Rhiannon Dragonraine]

This is a very interesting world view I like how you have fashioned it- I think most people have a need to live within something of their own creation and fight against that which is imposed upon them; you have displayed this beautifully.

[[untitled]]

And they are universal thoughts and emotions of young people the world over, as well. You have captured that unique mix of hope, cynicism, ennui, and inquiry so prevalent at that age very well.

It's a unique treat to be able to read your poem in French as well as in English. Even with my very shaky command of French, I can see the elegance and lyricism of the Gallic version.

Merci beaucoup!

[The Viking]

This transported me back to my high school days, trying to figure out how to kill boredom, because you knew four short years would pass and you'd be jettisoned into a world you never wanted to be in in the first place. Very good introspective piece.

[S.E. Conway]

wow... just-wow...... ... ... ... ... ...lovely

[alternative_be]

Something tells me, or rather I presume, that the French version of this poem is the original one. Anyway, I liked both. (Je suis une petite Belge, ma langue maternelle est le N�erlandais, ma langue paternelle est le Fran�ais ... J'ai �tudi� l'Anglais et l'Allemand � l'universit�, mais j'ai quitt� l'universit� pr�maturement � fin de devenir assistante sociale)
Are you familiar with George Orwell?
While reading your poetry the sentence: all pigs are equal, but some are more equal than others, sprung to my mind ... Yes I agree, from a certain age onwards, young people are able to make their own decisions and those should be respected. If you're never allowed to make decisions, mistakes even, how can you learn and become a responsible adult?

[maiarusm]

You've written what I've felt for so long. In youth, the older generation always sees foolishness. Not to say that the youth never makes mistakes but I find it better for the older ones to wait for us to see our own foolishness instead of pointing it out to us. By the way, excellent piece.

[None]

Greatly portrayed and well written! They wonder why teens turn to things when there is nothing to do to keep them occupied. I say electronics are a good thing to keep them in touch with their network of friends and have something to get them throught the rough days and nights.
Excellent piece of writing. I love the title and how you used it here.