It’s hard to write a poem

When you’re in an unpoetical, plastic world

When you have to pretend that

You’re from the same mold

As the rest of the clones

It’s hard to….. the restrictions….

It’s hard to hang loose

And do what you want

And say what you feel

When you’re not allowed to feel

When hanging loose means

Being “slothful” and “unproductive”

And doing what you want gets you

Less freedom than you have now

It’s hard… the bars…. it’s hard

Hard to be unique

When unique is strange

Unorthodox

UNACCEPTABLE

Try it sometime, in this place

Try being you –  an individual; unmolded,

Unshaped, unconformed

FREE

And see where it gets you.

Around here, I’m afraid you’ll find

It gets you right across the face!