Page 48 - English Reader - 7
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Am I a Child?
Am I a Child?
Warm-Upm-Up
War
This poem by Margaret Lawrence speaks about the confusion and perplexity faced by
teenagers who have mentally not yet become adults. ‘Am I a child’ brings out beautifully, the
bewilderment and uncertainty of adolescent years when young people are caught midway
between childhood and adulthood.
Am I a child or an adult?
No! Not a child now—my dolls are gone;
My dream world has rippled away.
I am tall, I understand adult talk,
But does that mean that I am an adult?
Am I an adult or a child?
No! Not an adult—I couldn’t look after
myself;
The understanding is just not there.
I pay a half fare on a bus to school,
But does that mean that I am a child?
Am I a child or an adult?
No! Not a child now—it’s not a teddy I love;
His cherished position is taken.
Just because my toys have lost their value,
Does that mean that I am an adult?
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