Wake up.

Tell mommy to button your jeans.

Watch cartoons.

Skip to school.

Play.

Be free, ignorant, and naive.

I am a child,

I do what I am told.

They are watching...

Wake up.

Throw on whatever's clean.

Check your phone.

Loaf to school.

Rebel.

Be careless, stupid, and youthful.

I am a teenager,

I do what I want.

They are near and far...

Wake up.

Iron your shirt and fix your collar.

Read the paper.

Scurry to work.

Listen.

Be obedient, mature, and stale.

I am an adult,

I do what I should.

They hear everything...

Taught to aspire,

trained to be common,

built to be robotic…

The American Dream?

No dream of mine.

A prevalent outlook,

A routine basis,

Or rather

A common life,

A Life

that

I will not lead.

The American Nightmare,

I’ve woken up.