Let It Bern

Another hard day of grinding, the type Johnny and Paulie sang about,

Tired as a dog, just want to sleep like a log, but first gotta hit the road,

No mood for bullshit, just want to get by with no hassles,

‘Not today, Bud’, the universe had other ideas,

Fifteen minutes from home, fair bit of traffic, crossed that double-lane roundabout,

Some dude from the outer lane, don’t remember the make and model of his vehicle, just that it was a silver colour,

Slams into my passenger door, trying to turn right from the outside,

No way that’s happening without causing an accident,

Aimed to go home without incident, now additional chores need attending, to top it off my ride’s dented, got me mad as hell and fuming,

Pulled over to the side, ready to spew fire and brimstone,

Fists ready if need be, he’s about to cop it tenfold,

Stomped over to him as he exits his vehicle, came out with his hands up, these are the first words from out his mouth;

“I’m sorry, it was my fault, I’ll give you my details then call the cops,”

Just like that, all thoughts of vitriol and ass-whuppings extinguished, took down his details before asking if he’s injured,

Cops showed up, asked for both sides of the story, made notes of what’s necessary before dismissing us in a hurry,

The other player and me, shook hands and wished each other well, off he drove unaware that earlier yours truly thought of giving him hell,

Kind of amazing, the power of calmness and a few kind words,

Never thought it’d work, use it before resorting to violence, it’d make for a far better world,

Next time you get on the wrong foot, try to kill ‘em with kindness, let’s see what happens,

But if the desired effect ain’t happening, by all means, get ready to throw down like nobody’s business, you have a right to defend yourself if they swing first, just don’t go overboard with it.

HSC, three little letters inspiring horror and fear,

13 years of schooling led to this, can’t believe it’s almost here,

Been ups and downs over the years, sometimes sun, sometimes rain,

Kinda fitting that the final level would dish out the most pain,

That workload ever-increasing, showing no signs of ceasing,

Low-key feeling the pressure from the relos to pass with flying colors, it’s boom or bust the way they’re talking about it,

Like it’s do or die, that a piece of paper determines one’s fate,

No wonder some check out early when they fail to make the grade,

Time to get serious, though, need to start thinking about life on the other side,

This here’s the training ground, Kid, out there it’s real life,

Uni, TAFE or the workforce, the choice is yours to make, better make moves now, they’ll soon push you out the gate,

But let’s get back to the tale, shall we? Still plenty to unpack here,

Never had true allies in this place, just some guys that knew your name,

And even then, within their circle, found yourself constantly on the outs,

Left you high and dry when jerks came knocking, seemed to join in the hazing and finger pointing, until eventually you were left deserted,  

No safety in numbers, going it alone has consequences, what’s a boy to do?

Here’s a taste of real life, Dude, fend for yourself, that’s what grown folks do,

Home remains where the heart is, but even solid foundations chip now and then,

Got too much on that plate to take notice, hopeful, somehow, the structure won’t go collapsin’.

Lunchtime bell chimes, highlight of the day besides afternoon dismissal,

Over the terrain, monsoon-like conditions are finally tapering,

Teacher dismissed the class, handed out homework in the process,

Adding another cog to that never-ending carousel of assessment tasks and tests,

Our man packed his things then headed out the door, off to meet his chums for lunch, pick up on what they’d been chopping ‘bout before,

Stepped out onto the concrete, segued over to the grass to make way for on-comers, namely jocks, big enough to put him on his ass,

Bad move, Champ, wet soil and worn shoes are a deadly combination,

Our guy slipped into a seated position, from there kicking off epic humiliation,

That ass smeared with brown, stained much of his trousers,

All around him an orchestra of laughter, even from those checking on his welfare,

His stoicism intact he stands, his brown behind only adding fuel to the fire, the masses got something to laugh about over the next half-hour,

Luckily for him, he lived not too far away, simply ambled to the parking lot, fired up his ride, made the short drive to where he resides,

Changed pants before heading back, still with some time to spare,

Practically inhaled his food before the sound of the afternoon bell,

Back to class he went with the rest of his peers, time to smash the last two periods,

Had him a nice trip, certainly, but one that he’ll want to forget about in a hurry.

It’s been and done, ingrained into the minds of society now,

Seen it happen time and time again, the consequences common knowledge now,

Yet some blinded by ignorance, or perhaps bravado or indifference, to whom are we referring? Those hitting the bottle then they’re gunning it,

Countless stories year after year, boozers buzzing behind the wheel,

Spiritualised in ways not religious, rather, the type several bottles deep,

The outcome well known, twisted metal, mangled bodies, throw in a fire then explosion,

Culprit and victim splitting costs, ending up additional statistics,

The weight of guilt and trauma unbearable, ordered to do time for your errors provided you ain’t dead or invalid,

That’s a whole ‘nother prison, especially if your actions done killed another,

Why play Russian roulette when the odds are never in your favour?

No honor or glory gained for it, such acts only for fools and idiots, do the right thing and call you a cab, better yet bring you a sober pal,

Getting home intact rooted in luck than actual fact, more than likely you’ll end up in a crash,

If your ride ain’t halted first, prepare those excuses once the cops come for your license.

Here comes another, driving ‘round with precious cargo onboard,

Pulled up to the side of the road, little one snoozing up a storm,

Locked the door then walked into the store, fiending for ciggies and nothing more,

Sweltering outdoors but took the keys with ya, ain’t nobody stealing that ride and child from ya,

But as is always the case got side-tracked, rare are they that go in with no sudden additional plans,

Got the smokes and more to go with it, more than thirty minutes had elapsed,

Back to your ride you go, something doesn’t seem right,

Sensing no rhythm or movement from your little tyke,

Called the cops and medics, now your misjudgement belongs to the public, a crowd gathers, frantic scenes recorded on phones, made the rounds before the media got a hold,

Now you’re front-page news, the scourge of the masses, you left him to bake to death while you indulged your unhealthy habit,

Should have learned from those that walked before you, but instead you tried their shoes,

Good luck sleeping well at night, his face will haunt your dreams, your poor unfortunate child.

Kids enslaved by screens, apps a portal to another world,

Free to create their own imagined experiences, keep up with appearances, whether the genuine article or edited and filtered,

Oversharing an inevitable side-effect, winning friends and influencing but not quite how Carnegie scripted it,

Outdoing one another in ways mind-boggling and in some cases frightening to please faceless crowds not even worth mentioning,

‘Monkey see, monkey do’ seems to be the order of the day, peep at the risky games they play, common sense locked in the drawer then the keys thrown away,

Poking the Grim Reaper, trolling others, acting the fool just to please strangers,

Shenanigans involving gnarly substances, stunting with no safety equipment, striking a pose on spots precarious, whatever lights up their IG and twitter pages,

Dancing and acting the fool on that medium loved and loathed in equal measures, named after the sound made by clocks,

Sussed as a potential spying tool for the CCP but for the rest just another vehicle for ‘look at me!’

Dicing with death for the sake of chasing clout and thrills, no sane mind has time for this shit,

Some paying for it with their lives, talk about dumb ways to die,

That epitaph bound to be laughable, ‘here lies so-and-so, perished in ways unnecessary and avoidable,

How’s that for a legacy? A life of promise reduced to head shakes and mockery.

No doubt some of y’all be triggered, let’s throw you a bone,

Y’all be sharing the triumphs and struggles, no need to go through it all alone,

Built your own communities, albeit one detached from reality,

Can’t say such a life is healthy, it could cost you your sanity eventually,

Can’t paint all users with the same brush as all the fools and braggarts highlighted above,

There are those that promote goodness and encouragement, creativity and self-love,

Just a shame that loud mouths are drowning ‘em, it’s always the deplorable and ignorant,

No different than the real world where the smart are quiet while the stupid are confident,

By all means, live as you please, but do remember to touch grass now and then, get you some sunshine and fresh air, feel the wind in your hair,

Go for a walk, run or hike like a functioning human being,

Perhaps find a purpose and a calling, away from the world beyond that magnetic screen.

Comes down to choices, always has and always will,

Even when the fallout is no happy ending, only you have the final say on your destiny,

Can’t force others to go against their will, let ‘em find out the hard way,

No better teacher than experience, they’re asking for it, let ‘em pay,

Still, should’ve known better, been proven time and time again that certain acts have the possibility of a point of no return but still they can’t or won’t ever learn,

They say to take risks and push the envelope but never forget the limits,

What you get away with today might one day lead to your destruction.

They say happiness is an inside job, a state of mind and a daily choice to make,

So it makes sense, those claims that it’s folly to tie it to that which one has little to no say,

Easy to pin it onto others, places, things and accomplishments that add colour to one’s days,

But upon closer inspection seems like a dangerous game to play,

No matter where you’re at, whether flying high or struggling below, born into privilege or languishing in the struggle,

There’s much to be grateful for, happiness has a trigger, peep at your surroundings, delve into the attic,

If necessary take the initiative and go on searching, provided you’re prepared for serious grinding, good luck with the pursuit, hope you gets yours too.

“I’ll be happy if I get this or that, him or her”, the phrase been thrown around,

Likely had escaped your lips, nothing to hang your head about,

Delaying gratitude in ways misguided, going all in on what’s beyond control,

Odds of victory at fifty-fifty, most of life’s offerings temporary, why rely on uncertainties?

Why give your power onto others? You certain they won’t fumble that bag? They can prattle sweet nothings ‘til the sun is setting, they may jump ship and leave you wondering,

The one you run with, exchange rings with becomes the one you fight and disagree with, ride endless rollercoasters with, the one you go to the end with or part ways with, care to put all your eggs in that basket?

Maybe a certain status or place is the way to go, on paper looks a sure winner, but that’s provided you’re ready and willing to jump over inevitable hurdles,

Climb the ladder if you must, whether at play or at work, expand your horizons, go explore the world,

Happiness achieved, surely, but its staying power debatable,

Ever hear the saying ‘more money, more problems’? Fake friends, taxes, responsibilities and enemies? And suppose you came home full circle or found you a new setting, what happens when the honeymoon fades to oblivion?

Back to old familiar feelings of normalcy, what’s new becomes routine, hope you’d planned for the next one after your promised land becomes another beaten path,

Simply put the search is never-ending, a perpetual wild goose-chase straight to the grave, wear it as a badge of honor if you like, conditional happiness seems a waste of life,

And here’s a hard fact for ya, Playa, goals and dreams won’t always materialise,

What have you to fall back on if what you worked toward ain’t realised?

Forget about if and when, take a hard look at your now,

Surely you’ll mine from the rubble precious jewels worth grinning about,

Choice was always yours, might be difficult to wrap your head around but sit down for a minute, ask yourself the following now;

Got friends and fam that’ll ride and die for ya? A roof over your head and food on the table?

Ways and means to make a living, overcame battles that would have broken many others?

Can still laugh over the silly and absurd and get emotional over songs? Got access to clean air while your heart smiles at the sight of children, cats and dogs?

Got something to look forward to? Both short and long term?

If the answer’s ‘yes’ to a few then happiness becomes you, why keep yourself waiting?

If you’re lacking then by all means, leave that comfort zone and go on searching, whether or not you emerge victorious it won’t mean shit if you can’t appreciate the process,

No one said it would be easy, no walk in the park if it’s worthy,

Baptisms under fire are what breeds growth and development, can’t claim the prize without it,

But do take heart if it don’t work out, you still would’ve proven your mettle, you’re better now than when you started,

For those reading this, wondering ‘bout those from beginnings wretched, not blessed like the rest, due to circumstances that sent them to hell,

Two ways to go about it, rise up from the ashes or self-destruct, happiness a byproduct of the former while no explanation necessary for the other,

Choice is yours but if the latter prepare to work for it, don’t expect handouts or fair play because you drew the short straw from the first day,

A closed mouth won’t get fed and layabouts go nowhere, do away with entitlement, you don’t deserve what you don’t earn.

And if you, Dear Reader, are reading this right now, better crack one ear-to-ear now,

Woke to see another day, a clean slate on which to stamp your name, another step to take on your road to something great,

Count your blessings daily, happiness will follow, guaranteed,

Remember to savour the journey before you attain that which you seek,

Find the joy in your life, back yourself and to hell with the rest, you’re permitted to be your best self, the right ones will be with you to the end,

It ain’t no race, Kid, it was always a marathon, take your time then gun it ‘til the wheels fall off, the grand plan was staring at you all along.