Now college-bound
I hate to uphold
This relentless system
Of meritocracy
But forgive me that I dreamed
That one American
Fatality
I’m sorry that I dreamed
To shine my spoon
A certain shade of silver
For my children
And then theirs
It takes one, they say
To ensure a social standing
On the ladder
So forgive me
If I clung to rungs
So worn I had to help myself
From slipping on the rust
Forgive me that I didn’t wonder
Why it at all was there
Forgive me that I didn’t fight
For our lives we’re forced to climb
And how no one builds us stairs
Forgive me that I dreamed
Now that I know
I promise to return some day
Deleveraging my privilege
To conciliate my sins
I’ll build a balloon
So unreal
It’ll hold the whole
Of a disillusioned youth
And when my merit profits
I’ll carry us up
Rising past the need for rank
I’ll carry us up
Strengthening our self-resolve
I’ll carry us up until we prosper
I’ll carry us up
Until we rise far above that ladder.