"5 STEPS BACK" The cry of the kids at the concert
"5" They yell
"STEPS" They chant
"Back"
But it's general admission. And everyone wants to get to the front.
It's a constant tug-of-war between the sheer mass of people you pushing back, those behind you pushing you forward, and your own desires to get to the front row of the concert; the prime location, success, status, recognition, pride
"5 STEPS BACK" The kids at the concert
They plead for relief, their feet don't touch the ground and the forces pushing them forward rip the air from their lungs and there are people passing out, and no matter what you do don't fall because if you fall at this concert you aren't getting back up.
"5 STEPS BACK" But even those who chant this weightless anthem have no intention of taking 5 steps back to relive the pressure on the crowd. Those who give up and take 5 steps back will be replaced by those who didn't and the pressure stays and the crowd still cries but those who gave up are only 5 steps farther from success.
"5 STEPS BACK" We could all just sit and enjoy the music if everyone stopped pushing. But even those who chant push to the front.
* * * * * * * * *
5 more minutes. The cry of an overworked student.
5. A whisper.
More. A prayer
Minutes.
Everyday a competition and everyone pushing to get to the top.
An average of 3 hours of sleep a night for the last 3 weeks may keep adrenaline pumping through your veins but blood is only skin deep and though physical survival hardly parallels the slow chipping away of your spirit as the world isn't even black and white anymore; it's just grey. Everyday looks the same, but a moment of peace is a moment of neutrality and this is the kind of world where if you fall you can't come back up.
5 more minutes. The glow of a desk light keeps us up and the alarm clock rips us out and the time between the two occurrences continues to shirk with each generation. You know it's a problem when free time makes you stressed out because why aren't you accomplishing something and the problem with running on water is that you can't slow down.
5 more minutes. The most mentally ill, diagnosed, self medicating, pill taking, well faking generation this country has seen cries for relief. The pressure of competition and what it takes to succeed grows everyday. Levels of stress that would justify visit to an asylum in the 70s are now normal in high school students. Everyone has anxiety. Everyone has depression. And the millennials silently scream for relief.
A fraction of the sleep needed, satisfied.
A college education that only a few generations ago was an option is now a requirement to succeed in the big world, to get to the front of the concert, the front of the line.
A new policy for wall street interns requiring them to go home at midnight and take a weekend off once a month to see family because too many of the interns, overworked by choice, were taking their own lives in a desperate attempt to escape the pressure of trying to get success.
5 more minutes. We could slow down if we wanted to. Sleep more. Love more. But somethimes even those who desire this the most are the ones who push to the front most aggressively.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
I scream silently everyday as my alarm goes off. Maybe I should slow down. 5 more minutes. "5 STEPS BACK". But there is always someone to take your spot.
5 STEPS BACK. I chant with the crowed. But that's Utopian. And I keep pushing forward.
* * * * * * * * ** * * * * * *
More reads
Deaths Draw Attention to Wall Street- New York Times
Mental Illness in Millennials
"5" They yell
"STEPS" They chant
"Back"
But it's general admission. And everyone wants to get to the front.
It's a constant tug-of-war between the sheer mass of people you pushing back, those behind you pushing you forward, and your own desires to get to the front row of the concert; the prime location, success, status, recognition, pride
"5 STEPS BACK" The kids at the concert
They plead for relief, their feet don't touch the ground and the forces pushing them forward rip the air from their lungs and there are people passing out, and no matter what you do don't fall because if you fall at this concert you aren't getting back up.
"5 STEPS BACK" But even those who chant this weightless anthem have no intention of taking 5 steps back to relive the pressure on the crowd. Those who give up and take 5 steps back will be replaced by those who didn't and the pressure stays and the crowd still cries but those who gave up are only 5 steps farther from success.
"5 STEPS BACK" We could all just sit and enjoy the music if everyone stopped pushing. But even those who chant push to the front.
* * * * * * * * *
5 more minutes. The cry of an overworked student.
5. A whisper.
More. A prayer
Minutes.
Everyday a competition and everyone pushing to get to the top.
An average of 3 hours of sleep a night for the last 3 weeks may keep adrenaline pumping through your veins but blood is only skin deep and though physical survival hardly parallels the slow chipping away of your spirit as the world isn't even black and white anymore; it's just grey. Everyday looks the same, but a moment of peace is a moment of neutrality and this is the kind of world where if you fall you can't come back up.
5 more minutes. The glow of a desk light keeps us up and the alarm clock rips us out and the time between the two occurrences continues to shirk with each generation. You know it's a problem when free time makes you stressed out because why aren't you accomplishing something and the problem with running on water is that you can't slow down.
5 more minutes. The most mentally ill, diagnosed, self medicating, pill taking, well faking generation this country has seen cries for relief. The pressure of competition and what it takes to succeed grows everyday. Levels of stress that would justify visit to an asylum in the 70s are now normal in high school students. Everyone has anxiety. Everyone has depression. And the millennials silently scream for relief.
A fraction of the sleep needed, satisfied.
A college education that only a few generations ago was an option is now a requirement to succeed in the big world, to get to the front of the concert, the front of the line.
A new policy for wall street interns requiring them to go home at midnight and take a weekend off once a month to see family because too many of the interns, overworked by choice, were taking their own lives in a desperate attempt to escape the pressure of trying to get success.
5 more minutes. We could slow down if we wanted to. Sleep more. Love more. But somethimes even those who desire this the most are the ones who push to the front most aggressively.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
I scream silently everyday as my alarm goes off. Maybe I should slow down. 5 more minutes. "5 STEPS BACK". But there is always someone to take your spot.
5 STEPS BACK. I chant with the crowed. But that's Utopian. And I keep pushing forward.
* * * * * * * * ** * * * * * *
More reads
Deaths Draw Attention to Wall Street- New York Times
Mental Illness in Millennials
THIS POST woah woah I LOVE the way you wrote this, woah, the 5 more minutes and 5 steps back is genius, and I agree with everything you said, keep it up, this is gold!!!
ReplyDeleteso. good.
ReplyDelete"The most mentally ill, diagnosed, self medicating, pill taking, well faking generation this country has seen cries for relief."
ReplyDeleteThis is some deep stuff, but it is seriously so dang good! I got the chills reading this brilliant post.
This entire post is Gold and so different from anything else I've read. In a very very good way.
ReplyDeleteThis post literally took my breath away.
ReplyDelete"the pressure stays and the crowd still cries but those who gave up are only 5 steps farther from success." /OHHHH./
"physical survival hardly parallels the slow chipping away of your spirit as the world isn't even black and white anymore; it's just grey." /CHILLS./
"the problem with running on water is that you can't slow down." /YES./
I want /more!/
"A college education that only a few generations ago was an option is now a requirement to succeed in the big world, to get to the front of the concert, the front of the line."
ReplyDeleteLOVED THIS POST. Cool imagery with the concert thing too, we can relate the feeling to what you're comparing it too.
loved this
ReplyDeletespontaneous poetry or spur-of-the-moment inspiration can be great. however, reading a poem like this, or any of your other pieces, is so refreshing and productive. the research and thinking that went into this poem was well worth whatever you did. it's not only relatable on an emotional level, but it's very intriguing because the scholarly level you at which you write. very intelligent and neat and i really enjoy reading it.
ReplyDeleteIs that Banksy on your wallpaper?
ReplyDeleteYour voice is power.
And the links at the end.
This is some next level ish.
Banksy>law
DeleteBanksy=inspiration and uprising
I love your posts a ton. You are such an amazing writer
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ReplyDelete