Pocket-Sized Dreams

I wish our dreams came with instructions,

That told us how to chase them,

Without the burden

Of personal income.
 

I wish our dreams were not labeled as the American dream,

But instead were the dreams we dreamed about as kids;

The dreams that were as sweet as chocolate ice cream.
 

I wish our dreams weren’t forced to be pocket-sized,

Tucked away from the rest of society,

Because oh-no, our 401K’s will be pint-sized.

And our parents will think of us as impropriety.
 

Tucked away from the rest of society,

Coercing ourselves to follow a path

That we don’t even believe in privately.
 

Established people tell us that we should follow our dreams,

That this is what will bring us ultimate satisfaction,

But are they not familiar with the crooked regimes?
 

My father always told me to follow my dreams,

But my mother always fractured my mind with reality.

She told me that if I chose to pursue an unsuccessful career, I’d lose my self-esteem.
 

Almost like leaves in autumn,

Each opportunity seemed to fall slowly and slowly.
The dreams we wished so desperately for

Seemed to be fading away slowly and slowly.
 

But to all those who look up,

And to all those who do not yet know why they should,

Your pathway will be made easier

If you make your dreams understood.
 

Your dreams will stand tall, unbroken and strong.

You see, your dreams will be who you wish to be,
Who you’ve wanted to be for so long.