Embarrassing myself for your entertanment

[underwaterrhymes]

Saint Monica

Haha. I found it!

Quick back story: in January of 1995 after Pedro Zamora of the Real World died, I became an AIDS educator with ARC.

This wasn't enough, however. I really felt the need to put my feelings on paper and wrote a poem about him and sent it (along with a dorky letter) to MTV.

I was very melodramatic, guys.

MTV sent it onto his family, and one day I came home from work and my roommates were all in a tizzy. They said, "when the phone rings at 7 PM you HAVE TO ANSWER IT."

So, I did. It was Alex Escarano, Pedro's best friend from Miami. They wanted me to come to the street naming in Miami to read the poem and then someone was going to translate it into Spanish and read it too.

I couldn't afford to go (and MTV sure wasn't footing the bill), but I was so freaking excited.

It was an epically bad poem. I just dug through some papers and found it and will now share it with you because it is some hilarious shit. Please remember I was 20.

The Torch

A young man walks alone
Not more than a boy, really
Unsure and frightened
Feeling lonely
Feeling betrayed
Feeling life within his grasp and
Feeling it slip
A light burns in the distance and he moves on
Just feeling
He picks up the candle
At first not really sure what it means
Only that a flame is building within
A burning desire
Is it hope?
Is it devotion?
No, it's more
Anger fading into strength
He gives his heart and his voice
His conviction and love
His laughter and tears
Family and friends
Strangers too
Becoming not so alien
To this light - this intense fire
And so nurtured, a candle becomes a torch
Memories made
Understanding gained
And still the light burns on
But the boy is beckoned
By a light even greater than that
which he holds in his hand
He's built a radiant dream that began
With one singular wish - to reach humanity
To make them see not with their eyes,
but with their hearts
Touching the souls of those yet untouched
Lighting many more candles that
will soon reach beyond the sun
And the moon
And the stars
And so the boy moves on
A hug, a kiss, a tear, a sigh
A sacred legacy left behind
A tale told and retold of courage and passion
A lover, a friend, a brother, a son
Living on in all who loved him
And here I am
A child full of promise
And longing unfulfilled
Holding one
flickering
candle


Hahahaaaaaaa. OMG. I signed and dated it, too.

UNDERWATERRHYMES, Poet Laureate.

[spitforspat]

Dawww, that's so cute.

[underwaterrhymes]

Jun 4, 2014 18:40:55 GMT -5 spitforspat said:

Dawww, that's so cute dorky.

FTFY

The letter is a million times worse, though, if that's even possible.

I found my old journal too and I am dying looking through it.

MORTIFYING.

[scarletbandit]

Consider me a dork then because I really like it. 

[Saint Monica]

Pedro was a good man/human

[melindafelinda]

I once wrote a letter to a girl on Paradise Hotel. I was like 22.

[bex1973]

You're my new favorite person for sharing this LOL

[mrsgoontz]

I need to find the practice love letters I wrote before I sent the final draft to Hanson when I was younger.

FTR I think that is a lovely poem!

[snipsnsnails]

Jun 4, 2014 18:55:45 GMT -5 melindafelinda said:

I once wrote a letter to a girl on Paradise Hotel. I was like 22.

Which girl? I looooooooved PH. I approve!

[sewf]

DS recently came running into the living room a few weeks ago with my old journal from freshman year of college. Let's just say, I didn't particularly want H to find out how crazy I was back then, and some of the over dramatic things I wrote about life, and him. SO embarrassing. Luckily, I got it away from DS and hid it away. I thought about destroying it, but maybe one day I will read it and it will be funny.

Some day.

[thebreakfastclub]

My BFF and I wrote love letters to Greg Louganis following the 1988 Olympics. I expressed my heartfelt hopes that his scalp would heal.

[Deleted]

Lol. I like it!

[lostlenore]

Jun 4, 2014 19:17:32 GMT -5 sewf said:

DS recently came running into the living room a few weeks ago with my old journal from freshman year of college. Let's just say, I didn't particularly want H to find out how crazy I was back then, and some of the over dramatic things I wrote about life, and him. SO embarrassing. Luckily, I got it away from DS and hid it away. I thought about destroying it, but maybe one day I will read it and it will be funny.

Some day.

A few years ago I destroyed all of my journals from junior high through college. I have never regretted it. I would have been so mortified if anyone else had ever read them!.  I actually feel great relief that those thoughts will never be read by anyone else!!

[DotAndBuzz]

Nice! I can, like, feel your emotions, man.


I found a *fantastic* piece I wrote about saving the Earth and world peace when I was a freshman in HS. And no, I will not be sharing with the class.

[missyny]

I loved Pedro. Fucking Puck. Ugh.

Im curious. What do you do now?

[underwaterrhymes]

Jun 4, 2014 20:36:59 GMT -5 missyny said:

I loved Pedro. Fucking Puck. Ugh.

Im curious. What do you do now?

The AIDS educator positions at the time were volunteer roles. Not sure if they still are or not.

But I work in international development.

[melindafelinda]

Jun 4, 2014 19:13:59 GMT -5 snipsnsnails said:

Jun 4, 2014 18:55:45 GMT -5 melindafelinda said:

I once wrote a letter to a girl on Paradise Hotel. I was like 22.

Which girl? I looooooooved PH. I approve!

Charla. I thought everyone was mean to her.

[nahoku]

Jun 4, 2014 21:11:02 GMT -5 melindafelinda said:

Jun 4, 2014 19:13:59 GMT -5 snipsnsnails said:

Which girl? I looooooooved PH. I approve!

Charla. I thought everyone was mean to her.

Best reality show ever.

[emsumm]

My sister wrote to Andrea from 90210. Kelly wrote back. Womp womp.

[Moe]

I heart you!

[underwaterrhymes]

Thanks for the support and commiseration. LOL.

I used to write poems a lot when I was younger.

My best ones are my deliberately funny ones. And my funniest ones are my emo ones.