study, strive, learn, become
aspire, work, achieve, persevere
attain, amass, accomplish, press on
go for the gold, shoot for the moon

from the earliest age
we are directed, commanded
and educated to become something
other than what we are

we are never told what we are
because nobody really knows
but as soon as we can think
we are told what to think

never to think for ourselves
or engage in awe and wonder
no, we are abc’d and 1,2,3′d to death
never left alone enough to explore

so, it’s no wonder so many of us
fall into the trap and live the lie
only taking the time to take a breath
when we’ve nearly lost it all

some of us, if we’re lucky
get a second chance, a second breath
what comes second nature to us
occurs only when the first nature dies off

and some of us, the lucky ones
spend what time we have left
drifting through life, light as air
watching the skies, chasing clouds

and breathing deeply
in the hard-fought knowledge
that there’s nothing to do
nothing to achieve

it was all a bad dream
sorry part of it is
it takes a whole lot of doing
to realize there’s nothing to do

and a whole lot of seeking
to see that seeking is a trap
but after all, it’s all worth it
because in the end

God is there
and happily, so are we …