the rat race

(photo taken at the Berlin wall)

bred from young, we try our best

to be of service, to ace the tests

we were expected the perfect answer

but how can anybody be so sure

for you, for me, for all of us

commodify your fear, and disgust

you’re tired, boohoo, so sad

from high school, college to postgrad

in life, in death, in any of this

in purpose, in grief, in trying to exist

underneath, above, or in between,

has anyone tried to intervene?

if our species is homo sapiens

then why is the most salient

metaphor for us: norvegicus

Rattus, dear God forgive us

you’d be mad to run from the rat race

that controls your life, on the surface

and in the depths, you’ll still try

cos’ when a rat meets a cat, it just dies

you’d be mad to run from the rat race

that controls your life, on the surface

and in the depths, you’ll just cry

cos’ when we rats meet the trap, we die