Ah, teen journals. We used to write Goth poems about ravens and roses and self-cutting because we were awesomely well-adjusted. Yay! And, of course, we weren’t alone in trying to find something that rhymes with “Netherworld” (Hmm. “Like a rose unfurled?” Yes, I like that…) while wondering if that Clearasil was ever going to eventually start fucking working. So we’re pretty excited for this new book, Cringe, compiled by Sarah Brown, that takes a look at the inane musings and pretentious or overly-earnest word caca spewed out by awkward teenagers everywhere. An example:

I lumber like the sad clown with the hope that my performance
might make you smile.
Yet I am a flickering star over
a cloudy sky.

Poe-etry! We love it so. The book is based on the New York City reading series, also called “Cringe,” which invited contributers to read aloud from their own diaries, break-up letters or Harry Potter slash fiction. Awko tacos at their finest.

Now: Anyone care to share a little something they wrote along the margins of well-worn marble notebook?

Cringe [Random House]