Boy Laid Low

To the boy—the boy laid low, boy laid low,

by the blows of life and the lack of hope.

He says he wants to go but everyone screams no,

he says he wants to go but everyone ties him down,

under the weight of the world as if

shoulders like his could win out in irony.

Well, let me tell a story of the time.

Irony failed and left misery in its wake and in his death.

 

They found your body by the tracks under the bridge.

Did you jump or did you just lay down?

Were you easy were you high were you sane or just goodbye?

I don't know where you wanted to go,

but I don't think you can cry, crawl your way there now.

You've got new demons, forsaken sins, do you think

you can stand under the weight of your scars?

Gotta stand tall tall taller now, speak loud loud louder now.

 

(They demand! They demand!

But they can't have what you won't give!)

 

To the boy—the boy laid low, boy laid low,

Oh, the blows of life and the lack of hope

were too much for his poor soul,

so he gave it up to them now.

They'll move on to the next.

 

(They demand! They demand!

But they can't have what you won't give!)

 

They found your body by the tracks under the bridge.

Did you stumble or were you pushed?

Were you safe were you drunk were you sane or just goodbye?

I don’t know where you tried to go,

but I don’t think you can cry, crawl your way away now.

You’ve got new demons, old revenge, do you think

you can stand under the weight of your wounds?

Gotta stand tall tall taller now speak loud loud louder now.

 

(They demand! They demand!

But they only get what you’ve given!)

 

So in the end why don't you answer

your own questions before you fail yourself?

 

(Can you hear society

signing off on these demands?)

This poem is about: 
My community
Our world
Poetry Terms Demonstrated: 

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