It’s 9m and CBS is on
Amber just won Survivors All Stars

Nasty politics played
Friendships broken
Alliances snapped into
All for the green paper

So what matters?

Does all else
Come down to money
Winning or what?

Even at work daily
Decisions are made
More so with me for I work for a non-profit
But at times
That even comes down to the lil green paper
We always need more

Over 10 years ago I was on the fast track to fame and fortune
And oh yeah that lil green paper
But it was snatched from me
By my own hand

Now I am at a crossroad

Sell out for the money
And then do what my heart craves?
Or do I stay true to my heart
And turn away from the corporate path?

Is life a game
Are we just mere pawns on the game board
Or an we alter our perceptions/illusions

I’m the 3rd child from my family
And even at 42 I’ve got to be honest
I feel I am still in 3rd place

I have to stop and ask
Is life a game
What does it mean to come in first?

Who

Who really is in place to say they are #1
When we have millions on this planet
What does #1 mean?

Bad boys bad boys
Tv shows depicts reality
Fuck…wait
Whose fucking reality is it?

One-upmanship gets bigger ratings
While a PBS show depicting a breakthrough in science goes unnoticed

Who wants that for reality?

Again I have to ask myself, is life a game
What does it mean to win

If winning is so goddamn important
Then does it mean to me in relationship to the losers?

No to me what matters is friendship
It brings out the good in others and us
Lending a hand to one in need
Making another feel good about themselves
Feeding the hungry

As a poet it is working to give another a voice
Reaching out a hand to another trying to give voice to their words

We all have something to say
And I hope through these venues you get to open up and share

So is life a game?

We recently had a poetry slam finals
I ask who really won?

I have to say it was us
Each poet opened up our minds to yet another chance to break barriers
Get ride of prejudices
And expand our beliefs

It is through the spoken word that life’s change
And if you don’t speak up, then we truly are not united

I begun this poem with Survivor
And it’s a survivor I want to be
I still don’t have the answer to my personal questions
So when I walk out of here tonight
It’s not to turn my back or bring to an end
I am just seeking what is true for me

Wish me well on my journey
Hopefully our paths will cross again.

05/27/2004

Posted on 01/27/2005
Copyright © 2024 Mark Maxey