Cleaning Up

Advice for younger generations.

Dust gathers today

We don’t bother to brush it away

Filth piles, cobwebs accumulate

Yet all we do is lie in wait, because it’s not our problem

 

It’s not our assignment.

Like a broken down car

It took four years for a simple alignment

And it makes us wonder…

 

“Why did I buy that?”

Did it truly have a purpose?

Just because it isn’t new--is it really rendered worthless?

 

From our eyes

to our brains

                        then to our mouths.

But wait--lately we’ve been skipping a step

Instantly criticizing something we only just met

            Eyes to mouths

                        Eyes to mouths

                                    Eyes to mouths

 

Soon, it’s all we ever hear about and all we’ve ever known

The hazy screen’s constant distribution of others’ business becomes

A typical occurrence

 

It’s flinging their standards in our direction

But… what were we do with such limited selection?

So still, the comparisons are inevitably made

All wrapped up and pretty, with a stamp on it signed:

                                   “TO: Hideous”

 

The cursive and bow is almost enough to cover up the so plain-spoken truth

Tumbling out of the magazine’s mouth, but just barely eluding the minds of our youth

Past the minds who are so desperately starved for value

That they’ll venture for it in clothing they outgrew--

long ago.

 

Long ago was when they were happy

When a runny popsicle was the only thing worth worrying about

But you can tell the scale of their hurt by the clouds in their eyes

There’s something dark there that needs to come out

 

And from the mouth of a human

Who once got the bowed package

The one that whispered how every inch of me was a disadvantage

 

And the whispers got louder and harder and closer

            Until it was a grisly roar

                        To me and to everyone involved with me

“USELESS!” pummeled my ears day and night, in and out

The sounds got unbearable in volume and strength as my faults were meticulously presented to the globe faster than a malignant tumor

The bass and drums of the insults hit and hit again--

A pianist striking all but one key right--that one key grew and grew

            CLACK!

                        CLACK!

                                    CLACK--

But… this isn’t about me

This is about you

                                    and you

                                                            and you

 

It’s a warning of what’s to come

Because you may not get every answer right

            (you may never hit all the correct notes)

 

It’s okay.

Breathe.

            No one's their own savior

No one should have to be

 

And before you follow the world’s bad habits of

            eyes to mouth

                        eyes to mouth

                                    eyes to mouth

Remember that long lost step

Do not let the dust collect

 

Reject--

            that pretty package the moment it drops at your door

Just use your brain

            And provide yourself some respect

Because you’re better than this.