Oxygen Required

They say I need to be stronger

Because a weakling can't survive

In this world of competition 

Of struggle, and of strife

They say I should be more decent 

I should know what to say and what not

Impulsiveness just leads to problems

And I shouldn't speak a lot

Some say I'm a little too crazy

That I should be a little at ease

They all just go on judging me

Society can never be pleased

Am I supposed to be perfect?

Can they not accept my flaws?

Am I a machine, supposed to run,

According to their dumb old laws?

I'm a thirteen year old lass

They make me feel like I'm old

Like I should know my decisions

And do just what I'm told

I'm so pinned to  what they think

Limited to what they say

It's so stuffy in here, it's hard to breathe

They've even taken Oxygen away

Author's Note

Pleasing society is impossible. END OF STORY.
:P

Reviews

[AK]

Great poem! And I must agree with you. We all have different opinions, taboos and expected behaviour from others around us. What is pleasing to one is displeasing to another. I believe that it is important to keep your identity, your character and your flaws because they, in the end, make you who you truly are. Some people will accept you, some may not and knowing this fact will take anyone a mile ahead.
As long as your happiness and peace of mind are intact, all's well.
I love the way you wrote it and titled it 'Oxygen Required'. It makes me wonder if you were playing at phrasing your title 'decently' and formally, much like what a robot would probably say (if it required oxygen that is). Lovely piece, keep writing!
P.S-I think you spelt 'decent' as 'descent'.

[Aehr]

thnx :D
I'll edit it... haha

[AK]

:)

[Carly]

Amen, sister. I feel like this everyday. Doesn't stop when your 13, doesn't stop when you're 20. I doubt it will stop anytime soon. But your poem did a great job of capturing this. Two thumbs up!

[TL Boehm]

yup. you have to please yourself. i know its cliche but it is the truth.

[Mariam]

so nice )

[stars are far]

Pleasing society !! it should never be in your mind or a part of your thought or mine ..because you wither please tem your please yourself..so you choose..and i will never choose that society that will never give me anything ..they wont put you on the clouds or make your life better ..you make it as you want.. and even when you are perfect they will not look to our perfection they will look at your flaws.. so live as you want to live..and ignore it.. BE WHO YOU WANT TO BE ,NOT WHAT OTHERS WANT TO SEE ...
it was a great piece of writing.. i like it and i liked the subject you taked about ..plus the title is so creative :)

[Pankaj Lohia]

Awesum poem... And yes pleasing society is just futile..

[Rhianne Ney]

I agree with what you're trying to point out. Society just can't deal with us youngsters properly. But oh well, we just need to be ourselves

[Rhianne Ney]

continued: We don't really need to please them but there are times when we've to but still we should have fun on being "us"
100/100

[Aehr]

thank you so much!

[Rhianne Ney]

Welcomezz

[Lina Grey]

Yes. I can relate, on the opposite side. People told me I was too strong, too quiet, sometimes too robotic even. Society is impossible. I like this. It's a bit of a cliche topic but you handled it with wonderful originality and I love your witty ending :)

[Aehr]

thanks, Lina! :D

[Lina Grey]

welcome :)

[keyvan]

amazing

[Coffee Vampier]

I love it, this is just how I feel everyday and its not fare to for anyone to be pressured in this way. We need to learn how to grow and be free. Keeping us from learning by being ourselves is like leaving a plant with no water it will surely die. Thirteen was when I got my reality and quite frankly it chewed me up and spit me out till i was about 17. Why do we live in a society where we are told to be ourselves as long as we follow the rules but once we branch out we are shunned?

[Aehr]

you've put up a fair question. i agree.