Good morning to you, American Teen!

The only individual tongue-tied enough to conform to arriving at school at six in the morning...without any financial compensation. 

Who in this nation, willingly places themselves in an environment 

That advocates submission to societal expectations?

Who in this nation, willingly allows for the exploitation of any personality trait 

as a reason to fall into their trap of spreading yourself too thin?

Who in this nation, fills their days to the brim with unnecessary classes and resume fillers all while 

 incurring a dependency on caffeine at the age of 16?

 

Only you, 

our, American Teen!

 

“Being a well-rounded, identitless cookie-cutter student is the perfect way to spend your next four years and land you in institutions that want a taste of something fresh.”

 

Oh American Teen, 

haven’t you learned the ways 

Of your capitalistic, greed-driven country?

In this world you are merely a digit 

A few character and you are rightfully placed in society 

 

Oh American teen, 

How could you 

Be so blind? 

 

“What’s your GPA?”

“How many college hours do you have?” 

“What university are you going to?”

“What’s your major? 

“How much is your salary?”

 

It’s all has an order, dear.

 

In this life, you are another thread in the patchwork quilt that is our nation.

Sewn into perpetual submissiveness 

Not a seam ripper in sight.

 

But American Teen, 

It doesn’t have to be this way. 

You do not need to be another digit in the matrix.

 

You are the byproduct of existing.

You are 

the past, the present, and the future. 

 

American Teen, 

In this lifetime 

You have lived through 

School shootings, 

Opioid epidemics, 

The concern of global climate change,

The brink of a technological take over, 

The rise of xenophobia 

 

But in turn you have also seen

The acceptance of all love

The power of nationality 

The voice of minorities

 

American Teen, 

One day your time will come to an end

You will no longer sit in place of that meek, open minded 

Character that resides in your juvenescence 

You will stand tall in the figure of a grown spirit 

A spirit set ablaze by the 

Internal fire to be the catalyst of the world

A salute to:

Pursuing climate change reform

Advocating for the acceptence of each individual

Preventing materialism from controlling our society

Creating policies that actually take the country’s needs into consideration

 

As the world seems burst into flames all around 

Remember 

The Phoenix was forged in the fire