This One, I Guess

"Happy fifth birthday", he hears his dad say

"Pick any toy you want to take home today"

He hates to pick just one and leave all the rest

He looks at the shelf and says "this one, I guess"

She turned seventeen, and prom was nearby

She wanted to go, but she didn't know why

After hours of shopping for the perfect dress

She picks up a blue one, and says "this one, I guess"

He grew up with dreams of a music career

But you need to make money to survive out here

So he said, I'll at least pick something that won't cause too much stress

He looks at the want ads, and says "this one, I guess"

A young woman enjoying her life just won't fly

You're almost 30, you need a guy

Who'll give you a baby and say you're the best

Tired of looking, she says "this one, I guess"

Isn't it weird with our whole lives in front

We get to choose whatever future we want

But it seems out of fear of making a mess

We look at our lives and say "this one, I guess"

In this world we deny food and shelter from our brothers

Is this the world we want for each other

Our words say no, but our actions say yes

Every time we look away, we say "this one, I guess"

Reviews

[MomzillaNC]

That last two lines are a very powerful conviction of society's complacency -- Complacency has always been, in truth, tacit approval. Well done.

NOTES: I think you might consider breaking this into four line stanzas. That's the way it naturally fell in my reading.