Month: July 2024

Down to the last few weeks, tenth grade drawing to a close,

Not quite the end of the road, still a couple of years before the final boss,

Nevertheless, junior high’s ending, formal just around the corner, final exams beckoning, prior to graduation,

PE Class on a head-start, a test of life-saving skills at the local pool,

Two days of drills, everyone had a go, an afternoon pool party was the reward,

For teachers and students alike, for a brief period they were equals, some splashed about, others baking under the sun,

In the midst of it all, Brett and his camera did the rounds,

Taking a few snaps, Lord knows what for, yearbooks done and dusted by now, but only the committee know anyhow,

Asked some to smile and pose, quite liberal with the candids,

God help ya if you’re acting out, guaranteed he’ll capture that shit,

Finally met his quota for the day, Brett puts his toy away to hang with his mates,

They stood by the pool, a decision Brett would come to rue,

Maxie Wilkins splits from his tribe, they were camped near a fence

He’s heading for the facilities, had to use the gent’s,

Upon exiting he trudges back towards his homies, but from the corner of his eye catches an opportunity for mischief,

Spots Brett by the pool, chopping with his boys, with a glint in his eye charges at ‘em like a runaway horse,

Beelines for the target, shoves him into the drink,

He was quick as lightning, the victim barely had time to think,

Embarrassed but unbowed, fuelled by vengeance and rage,

Brett springs from out the water, sprints towards his attacker, that fool gotta pay,

Takes a spill along the way, skins his leg but barely noticed it, nor the laughter from his fellow pupils,

Took Maxie unawares, talk about returning the favour, on the grass they tussle, limbs flying in all directions,

Quick as a flash they’re the centre of attention, the jock against the geek,

“Fight! Fight! Fight!” they’re screaming, like the audience from some talk show on TV,

The brawl is on before the teacher’s intervention, demanded an explanation, Brett fired up without hesitation,

“He pushed me in the pool in all me clothes!” said he, resisting the urge to curse,

“It was just a joke,” retorted the other, “didn’t mean to hurt him!”

Teacher wasn’t buying it, heretofore combatants ordered simply to keep their distance, their last taste of leniency before exams come knocking,

Off Maxie goes to rejoin his crew, laughs and high fives all around, while Brett finds his boys, soaked but strangely proud,

Blood ran freely down his leg, his uniform’s a mess, yet he gallantly fought back, had to be proud of that.

Benny never was the flyest kid on the block,

Never the king of the kids, grades all over the shop,

‘Nerd,’ ‘geek’, ‘dweeb’, he’d heard ‘em all, branded every title suggesting weirdness and withdrawal,

Teacher was a decent sort, though that patience sometimes ran short,

Turned into a banshee rather quickly when her tribe be yapping like parrots atop a tree,

Now and then handed gifts to they who pulled their weight,

Worked hard and played fair, kind to all and made the grade,

Benny never cared, his sole objective was to survive,

So you could imagine his surprise, one time, he was announced the winner of the prize,

Felt great to be on top, to the victor goes the spoils,

The underdog crowned the king, his peers his loyal subjects, gotta do as he pleased,

But the moment was short-lived, reality an unwanted intruder,

The home bell sounds and they’re onto him like vultures,

Sore losers and intimidators joining forces demanding and threatening that he hand it over, even though he’d won it no problem,

Voices from all directions got him feeling trapped and frustrated,

Fuck the lot of them, fuck being the winner, turned out to be a curse than a blessing,

Off he marches to teacher, relinquishes the crown,

‘I don’t deserve this,’ says he, she needn’t question him any further,

Takes it back, dismissed the class, can’t condone actions nothing short of crass,

Much to their dismay, moaning and groaning all around,

Just desserts served, bullying can never be rewarded, they denied him of his moment, now they’re paying for it,

And so Benny slinks away, head bowed, thank God it’s a Friday,

It was a bitter blow but the weekend awaits, he lives to fight another day.

If you want it, go and get it, come hell or high water,

You’ll walk through fire for it, fight for it and whatever,

Heard it all before, motivational talk spewed to and fro,

Coming in handy for missions of all sorts, for crusades or when shooting for impossible goals,

They say only the persistent are rewarded, quitters never win,

But how much must one take before they’re permitted to pack it in?

They are lionized and admired, those who defy the odds,

But what of they who walk away, minds changed then switching lanes?

Do they get props for changing course or are they quitters only deserving scorn?

Sure, hard work pays off, the spoils go to those that work their asses off,

But what if you get more than you bargained for? Found out it wasn’t worth the struggle? Prompting a change in course to a destination less glamorous?

No telling what’s on the other side, gut instincts could save your life,

Perhaps backing out is warranted, but when is the proper time for it?

Half full, half empty, is the sun shining or darkness halted?

Given the state of the world today, you wonder how one can act like all’s ok?

Gotta keep it real and see it all for how it is, unlike those grinning ear to ear living in dreams,

But why keep your eyes trained to the grey and gloom? On a constant lookout for impending doom?

To the common eye seems a waste of time, living scared than in the prime of life,

They say they who peer through the proverbial shades tinted rose-colored to match their cheery disposition have a higher chance of getting more out of life, of smashing goals left and right,

Leave a lasting legacy that traverses through time, leave their counterparts floundering, unfulfilled, screaming into the night,

But that’s a myth, they, too, can build kingdoms, all while travelling unfiltered,

Understanding it ain’t all sunshine and rainbows and acknowledging the darkness, embracing what is than trying to paint it a different color,

Doesn’t make them the lesser among us, such a suggestion makes one self-righteous,

Some walk on sunshine while others are content to dance in the storm.

They say loneliness kills, innocuous but deadly,

Likewise they say to be wary, far too many carry hidden levels of toxicity,

There’s someone for everyone, up to us to find ‘em, that someone to build a life with, grow old and prosper with,

But get with the wrong one, that shit’s a death wish, hard to tell friend from foe, makes you wonder why try at all,

Their handiwork insidious, covert at first before bursting to the surface,

The damage irrevocable, often leading to dire and desperate consequences,

No wonder many go their own way, romance is dead, bright and clear as day,

Nothing wrong with travelling on your lonesome, but what of the other option,

The journey gets lonely, might be nice to have some company, to help with day to day living, the teamwork so gratifying,

Provided that love, trust and respect remains intact, such is the case, for the most part,

You need not read them only in stories, look around, it’s possible in reality,

Take your time and find one that you vibe with, never know what might unfold,

Can’t dump all in the same box, to do so suggests the whole race is lost,

Sadly, the mask drops when least expected, villains in disguise win, the innocent left the victims, broken and picking up the pieces.