Promises, Promises

As kids we're asked What we want to be when we grow up And whatever the answer - That's our goal. Our dream. It's a promise That we will succeed. Only. As we age, we slowly come to the realization That they lied to us. That they took that promise And with their money And their war And Their greed They broke it. They took a future from us And even when we know When we speak up, They reflect it back onto us. Tell us how they managed to succeed In a world so much different Than what they passed down to us. In a world where the earth didn't cry. Where money wasn't worth less Where the minimum earning Could serve a family of three. Where the cost of an education Could be earned during A short summers work. Those who gave us hope Now yell accusations at us - We're lazy! We want pass outs! We aren't willing to work for anything! Only - We're working two to three jobs, Eighty hours a week, While we're in school, Learning to be this thing - This dream we've had all our lives. We're in debt because we Wanted to learn Because We had to learn. Because if we didn't Delve into a game of massive debt We'd be out of it - The game, The promise. But even our debt is A force of debate Because it's not necessary. We could have gone straight to work But that's what we did We work And we learn And we work Because that's all we can do It's not even what we love, Not the dream. Because the dream won't sustain A healthy life. We are a generation Of generalized anxiety And all we want Is to make the world better To fix what's been broken But those who came before us They laugh in our faces Because this world Wasn't meant for their promise. They never intended Our success.