Atlas

A poem I wrote when I was 14 about society. I was kind of emotional back then but I thought it still sends a very profound message.

Four people born every second,
Yet in that same second two people die.
For every one life, two deaths.
As if God bargained with humankind;
"For every two I will take one back."
Very conflicting isn't it?
How would someone feel about it, I wonder.
Some would mourn the death and loss,
Others would cherish the new life.

What kind of world is this?
Everyday we walk out our door we take a risk,
We risk our lives just taking a simple step,
And never knowing what will come forward next,
We don't consider the inevitable misstep.
The one trip on our path that will definitely see us fall over.
Everyday we walk out our door we willingly take that risk.
This is the world we live in.

What kind of world do we see though?
A world where economies slowly drop,
Where the politicians never make the best decisions,
And we only praise them if they don't f**k up.
A world where children must cry themselves to sleep,
When other kids are up at night endlessly counting sheep.
Where the ones who stand up to fight,
Are the ones who are left behind just for doing what is right.
As the higher classes and rich masses grow fat on greed,
Their businesses take all the money from those truly in need.
This IS our world.

And we think we can't change.
A world of prejudice and hate.
A kid who is called fat,
He eats only to feel the small comfort he can,
Because nobody else handed it to him.
A girl who dresses elaborately each day,
She looks toward the mirror,
She sees how lonely she truly is,
All because here loved ones pushed her away.
The guy who just isn't sporty or tough,
He is reminded everyday of how he isn't good enough.
Everyday kind souls are buried underground,
Because in our lifetime,
Basic kindness is seldom put to practice,
Just look around.

Everyone is seen in different lights,
But we take different meaning from different sights.
In a world where traits like compassion and peace some will abhor,
Yet some just want kindness and innocence once more.
A world bursting with light and peace,
A world where we never kneel to the b******s that say no.
An earth where the fields and trees are full of life,
Bright and vivid as the dreams we share.
Promoting peace instead of war,
Feeling safe when you walk out the door,
Where children don't walk for miles for water,
And the innocent aren't sheep to the slaughter.

We rally in protest against injustice,
And imagine of poverty was reduced to nothing.
A world revolving around unity and love,
Where being human is something to be proud of.
There's no crime and cruelty,
Nobody is different and we all feel free.
If we could live where evil is exposed,
Then we really could live easily with eyes closed.

Like Atlas we have the world on our shoulders,
We control how it revolves.
We can tip the balance on the scales,
Lady Justice holds for us.
But we don't know what we want do we?
Peace, love and happiness,
Or control, dominion and power.

I can wait to see what life has in store,
But for the world I live in I think I'll say,
When I walk outside everyday,
I'd like to risk nothing when I open the door.