Poetry | Dying at a Desk

by Danny Ballan | Jul 13, 2021 | Poetry

Introduction

Audio Podcast

Dying at a Desk

Thoughts

How long do you have to stay at this dead-end job, daydreaming, losing your feelings and who you are day by day until there is nothing left at all? How long should you endure this stupid measure of success by doing your best to make someone else rich? How different is that from any form of slavery? Maybe, not all jobs are like that, but are you true to yourself? Is there what you really want to do for the rest of your life? Or at least, the rest of the day? Will you one day learn who you really are, what you really want and stop being afraid to become who you were born to be? Are you brave enough to do what it takes to be you? Are you brave enough or would you prefer to continue doing what you do best, dying at a desk?

Poem

Sitting, daydreaming, flying
to the endless boundaries
of a mute screen—
the world is all at hand
waiting yet to be seen,
and hearts are up and running—
desire inside so keen
to get by, day by day—
the world is all at hand,
yet what does that wide world mean?

Sitting, daydreaming, dying
at a desk, a destiny foretold
to sit to buy and wait to die
for those growing needs
are growing like evil seeds
rooting deep like anchors
to hold a vessel from the open seas;
the journey starts here and ends here—

Feet rumbling beneath like wingless eagles,
old gallant warriors dying in their cradles,
creeds no longer born; it feeds
on people like you and me
imprisoned in cubicles
with iron bars around with only one open side
never used to escape; still stands
a living proof of the leash we have inside—
security lies in a decorated cell
of quotes and lovers and idols
trying to make it home
no heart for adventure and risk
we all wait to die at our desk.

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