"White Picket Fences and Order"
by Esther Lawrence
the future, what lies ahead
a scary thought, distant but among us
I think of college and jobs
white picket fences, order, and
everything figured out
and I wonder what it is that I really want.
I see adults on the road driving past
what lingers ahead and possibly behind
causing them to keep pressing the pedal
and I wonder what it is that I really want.
because the truth is,
those people in their cars
will stop someplace, maybe get something
then they'll be back on their way
back on the road and
moving, always moving, leaving, and going
to the next place, the next thing
never satisfied, never happy, never done.
and I guess it comes to me:
the future is a scary thing
not because it is unknown
but instead because,
if you think about it,
it can never be reached
a scary thought, distant but among us
I think of college and jobs
white picket fences, order, and
everything figured out
and I wonder what it is that I really want.
I see adults on the road driving past
what lingers ahead and possibly behind
causing them to keep pressing the pedal
and I wonder what it is that I really want.
because the truth is,
those people in their cars
will stop someplace, maybe get something
then they'll be back on their way
back on the road and
moving, always moving, leaving, and going
to the next place, the next thing
never satisfied, never happy, never done.
and I guess it comes to me:
the future is a scary thing
not because it is unknown
but instead because,
if you think about it,
it can never be reached