Teenage Angst by Ben Smithfield

I was 17 when my mum died from breast cancer. At that time, and for a period afterwards, I wasn’t able to express myself verbally so I turned to writing. It was cathartic, though I never had the courage to share what I wrote, let alone attempt to publish my work. I wouldn’t claim to be a poet, or a writer, however, 20 years on I feel ready to share. My hope is that these poems, written while I was still a teenager, will inspire as well as be understood whichever way you interpret them.