Through The Lens

Analysis of personalities

Switch on the remote

There they are

They were there during the spring

They were there just before summer erupted

Smiling, laughing, giggling,

Looking glamorous

Making life seem a huge, drawn-out party

For which we are all the guests

They smile

They talk

They laugh

They make sense out of things that make none

Witnessed them on the screen

Over and over again

"Talking" about issues that "matter"

People--they are just raising awareness--

Over things matter not

Beach board this

Swimsuit that

Gossip this

"That" is important

"This" is something we all love

Dresses banking around $2000 without discount

Designers, top brands, merchants' reputations on the line

Cooks; redundant weather forecasts

it's all there, for all to see

Click the remote

Turn off the damn screen,

they become what?

Just names? 

Names we should all care about because they mean something?

I suppose so. In their worlds.

They should visit this one

Where we live; where the mom with four, five, six kids

No male present

Must find ways to put shirts on their backs, food on the table

Practices here

Tutoring there, classes to attend

Shifts to show up for, clock-in and clock-out

The young Educator 

Looking for his right situation

Right spot

To prosper, be productive

Enlighten, entertainment, inform and make real the demands placed on his shoulders

Talk about "real" 

Talk about making a "product" worth something in value

Oh the market shall play its part, as always

But those ladies, I wonder what their world feels like

I wonder if they understand mine

I wonder if they would last two minutes

In a midday workout, when the scorching sun

Burns the ground,

Feet feel as if the ground itself is burning the soles

I wonder if I could talk about things that matter

And don't

I wonder if I could convince people that what they

should care about I actually do

Or if it's just for a show

To avoid discussing 

The real world crap that is actually happening

That should be discussed because

It actually matters

Those eyes could only watch so much

Before they lost interest

Before they didn't see the reason for caring

Other than making others feel good about

Having hope, entertaining them before

The show was over

And reality said "hello" again

Through the lens I saw

different personas existing 

Side-by-side

Talking about things people were going to discuss

Regardless

Because they could; because that's what

They claimed

They wanted to do with their time among us

Switch off the remote 

In my lens, I can decide for myself

What I'll allow into my world 

To be informed

Versus informing

To attempt to make sense 

Of this world that doesn't seem to

Day in and day out

As the grandmother struggles to support 

Her youngest offspring

As their guardian

As the father travels 12,000 miles for a job 

That pays well 

At the expense of balancing a crazy work schedule

With a life-long built home life 

That completes his being and heart in ways

The monetary compensation cannot

In ways that make this heart

Yearn to help the younger generation

Learn a thing or two

About this crazy world they will grow into

That we are creating every,

Single,

Day

To the point where they will have no choice

But to think

But to create 

But to learn to fend for themselves

After the show is done and over

After the lens has gone to black

We should meet, them and I,

To talk about the real things going on

To put those concerns in front 

Of that audience to raise

Actual awareness

Of all that we should all be aware

Even if we know we cannot do much 

About those issues

Even so. We can try. Because trying

Is the best thing we do.

So let's try.

Let's try.

-Cheers

Author's Note

this was based on a Barnes & Noble "500 Writing Prompts" question