Investment

To rise again is to stand up again, after
the beast has shoved you over.
And yet, you know – he’ll strike again;
a shovel, greedy for more coal, for
more fuel to keep him ticking.
You rise up again, after the second shove,
and the third, and the fourth and the fifth.
Up, and nearly up, and a little less up, until
you are only half-way up, and then,
you still rise – making it all the way up this time.
He’s ticking on and on and on;
you’re rising up, again and again and again, until
the ticking of the beast keeps you awake at
night. And then you know – it’s time.
Time to stand up. Time to back up. Time to invest
in earplugs.

Copyright owned by Jay Cool, February 2019

Inspired by the poem ‘On Joy and Sorrow’, by Kahlil Gibran.

Image from Pixabay.com (creative commons)