Assignment: Metaphor Writing: create a piece in which you compare two dissimilar objects by stating or implying that one thing IS another.
Metallic Truth
By Ashley Bradley, Writing 12
Life is a teeter totter. It stands, unmoved, a large piece of coloured stainless steel which in the beginning is beautiful. It is unique in its own way and polished, untouched by the recklessness of nature. When people first see it as the new addition to their park, it is loved and treasured. Everyone babies it and treats it with caution; nobody wants to be the first to scuff its newly welded metal.
After a few months of existence, its strength is put to the test as winter fast approaches. The harsh winds, ice, and freezing temperatures can break down just about anything. Nobody plays on the teeter totter all winter; it is abandoned through its first tough challenge.
As winter recedes, the people return, and everything good is restored. The teeter totter has made it, nearly unscathed, through its first winter. Only a few scratches and the slightly faded colour remain as a reminder of the past winter.
One morning, someone--out of hate--has drawn all over it; whoever did this, did it on purpose. The teeter totter looks rough on the outside, covered in black permanent marker that slowly convinces others to join the fun and add to the graffiti. It is helpless, and will have to wait until someone caring comes to its aid.
With time the marks dwindle away, and so do the bright colours of the equipment. It is growing old. It has been kicked by raging kids and scorned by angry parents who weren't supervising their children properly. The teeter totter is blamed for much in life, but it learns to accept that some people cannot take responsibility for their own actions.
One day, the teeter totter watches as new brightly coloured members arrive. Old worn slides and swings are replaced with something new and shiny, something made out of synthetic plastic.
The day comes when the wooden seat splits and a bolt tumbles onto the sand. Kids are receiving splinters and parents no longer allow them to play on it. The day then comes when orange tape is placed around the teeter totter. It has had a good run, but soon another one, newer and more innovative, will replace it. The truck pulls up and men dissemble the metal piece by piece. Most of its joints are rusted and have eroded to the point where they can no longer be fixed. No one comes to watch as the teeter totter is removed.
The old members of the park, however, see as the teeter totter is dismantled. The young ones are too young to recognize what is happening. Maybe one day the elders will tell them how life works. No one ever told the teeter totter this would happen. It had to figure it out for itself.
The teeter totter does not know what will happen now; no one knows what happens once you leave the park. It is the one secret life keeps from everyone, both new and old. The only thing left to question is where you go after your time has expired.
