an unrehearsed universe

Best and Brightest

Helplessness is what we learned in the corridors
of be anything you want to be, follow your dreams, find your passion.
The path we followed was graveled with boundless ambitions,
limitless enthusiasm, unworkable talents, limited aptitude.
Introspective, navel-gazing, foundations aquiver with praise,
we failed to notice the path ahead was paved of playwrights and profiteers,
painters and politicians alike, of the once and future leaders
who, undivided, trod confidently into the future.
We failed to notice that only the earth endures. Failures all,
and flailing. Were we not the cream of our generation,
the educated children of liberated parents? Failures all,
and flailing. We marched onwards, voices quiet, anthems dampened,
loosed onto the world in search of victories long since vanquished.
We marched onwards, bludgeoned bloody, heads bowed,
having squandered those yesterday hopes and tomorrow promises
on a series of not-for-me, not-todays.