Forgotten

I stopped counting years ago

Time became a hindrance to my peace of mind

Waiting slowly takes its toll on you

Your once “well rested” body becomes exhausted

Your mind struggles to keep sane

Questioning your priorities

You wonder if it’s worth it

We just wanted to go somewhere

Nothing fancy, a standard place

Not our norm but someone else’s

So we waited

Waited for them to pave the road as a sign of good fortune

Wondering when change would no longer be an inconvenience

Swallowing frustrations, the taste of deferred dreams lingered

Miscalculated hopes unable to fully articulate the exhaustion

Static noise

To be fearlessly human was impossible

Solidarity was few and far between

There was no progress worth noting

In stale air our steps went unrecognized

Our knees buckled

Stuck wondering if the grass was greener

For the path to somewhere was not welcoming

Strange fruit hung like forgotten promises

Dangled on outstretched hands of no mercy

We prayed

Our stumbles blamed on misaligned gaits, skewed by nature versus nurture

Accustomed to running, we tried not to stand too long

To not overstay our welcome, we wander for safety in unsafe territories

Often six degrees from somewhere and two degrees from dying

Barely breathing

Every generation we ask ourselves, is it still worth it?

Still waiting we wonder, are we forgotten?

Does it even matter? Do they even care?