PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

I keep sifting and surfing 

other lives and lifestyles

Lies and live wires line the way 

Working through my memory

Am I the nine year old 

Ball of energy bouncing 

Positivity pouncing unchecked

Laughing through big league chew?

Naw, that ain’t me. 

What about the 13 year old

High flying daredevil do-it-all

Crashing on his skateboard 

Or running wild through the streets

In his dopamine prime feeling fine?

Naw, that ain’t me. 

Am I the 16 year old

Neer’do’well skirting Hell

Knocking up his girlfriend 

While he’s still hearing the school bell? 

The scared shitless teen with dreams? 

Naw, that ain’t me. 

Could I be the 19 year old

Divorced Dad of one 

Dating a girl now he thought was the one 

But after another late night fight

Thrown knives and punches

I Figured it out, 

Naw, that just ain’t me either. 

Could I be the 24 year old

Who’s filling his days 

With months of Sundays 

Scared he’s nothing 

Another mouse in the maze, frozen

Making a life in his lost corner? 

While still relevant, naw, not me. 

Could I be the 28 year old

Who buries himself in his work

Who finds that idle time ruined his mind 

So he’ll learn until the tunnel lightens

Who the bright light shines for once more?

Getting close but, Naw that ain’t me. 

Could I be the 32 year old

Musician who mastered his art

Who got a band and a van 

Got his best friends to pump out a message 

That made young hearts take a stand 

Where most threw fists at shows

But most would go to see the glow? 

I miss that me, but that ain’t me anymore. 

Could I be the 37 year old

Slightly older but still acts young

Because when I was a youth 

I captured a sun, 

Am I The burn bright burn out 

The sing songs till its lights out 

When the world says stop 

You say “not now”, kinda guy?

That might be who I am now

But check back later and I’ll say

Naw, that ain’t me

Cos I’ll find a hole 

And another way out