Trying to Be Grown: Poetry by Michael Victor Whatley Jr

"Trying To Be Grown" is a compilation of poetry written by Michael Victor Whatley Jr. It was driven by his eagerness to become an adult and role model in a world so contradicting. Written with intentions of appealing, relating, and educating teenagers to adults. The book explores the author's ideas on life during his time. It explores his feelings on high school and college relationships, as well as his views on life in general. It reflects on the effects of premarital sex and its transition to a false sense of love.

Though I'm only 21, I'm thinking about growing old, I had lived a promiscuous childhood but I had really slowed down. Here I was a college student, and even though there had been so many beautiful woman on campus, I had only been in an intimate relationship with one, whether you can believe it or not. Though she told me not to fall, I fell, and what may have seemed like something small to her, I valued more everyday.
It was all over now though, and I began to feel lonely all over again. Though I was progressing and enjoying my success I had began craving that satisfaction of the opposite sex. I just couldn't figure it out; sometimes I felt over confident and other moments I found myself feeling insecure.
It was the thought of gaining more success, and growing old and lonely. I refuse to front and cheat myself, from some of the greatest joys in life: some children and a wife God willingly.
I wanted to take on the responsibilities but I wasn't really financially stable yet, her heart she refused to let me play with that, and eventually left me alone, I was just a young man on his own trying to be grown.