Dreams

Money, greed, trust issues, betrayal

Sadness when the family business went under

Pain when loved ones dying becomes a constant

Anger when I close my eyes and always see the needles on the floor

And the handcuffs on his wrists

That is my life now

All I wanted was to be happy and content

But this cruel world changed my dream

Changed an innocent kid’s dream of “I want to be a firefighter and help people”

To “Make money the easiest way possible

and who cares who gets screwed along the way”

It changed me.

Society revolves around a thin, rectangular, green piece of paper

Where the number in the corner and the face on the front decides who you are

Or what you can be

And for what?

I was never able to wrap my head around the idea

That a scrawny piece of cotton and linen could control our lives

Why can’t we make more?

Why does it even matter at all?

When the peons from France

Who dealt with the rise of the monarchy

And wars

And torture

And famine

And drought

Otherwise known as my ancestors came to this country

All they wanted was a chance

A chance to live,

To be free

But in my small-minded and narrow world

I crave so much more

I need to be prosperous

I need to be successful

I need to be recognized

I need to be important

But no, no.

I just need to be grateful.