Andrew Manzi

Andrew Manzi Poems

The Best Poem Of Andrew Manzi

A Prison Without Walls

A Prison without Walls

What did I do? How did I end up here, in this prison without walls?
I studied hard, I paid my bills, I followed all of their rules.
So why every morning when I rise for yet another nine to five.
I feel as if I look through bars and am serving a term called life?
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The office is a drab affair with an ocean of management and KPI.
It feels as if I am back in school but no teacher here wears a tie.
Power once was mine, behind my desk I did so feel I could win.
Now when making tea or coffee, I have to copy all of the managers in.
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Distant shores do call to me, being lapped by a warm turquoise sea.
I look around at the beach I am on, cold, grey, just the company of me.
Promotion I dream one day as well as the house near the village green.
Or maybe dreams of the lottery. Or the lucky purchase of a magic bean.
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Checking my account late every night on a magic square as I lay in bed.
All the numbers are all going up but annoyingly they are all in red.
It was not supposed to be like this, when we all dreamed in those Uni halls.
How did we all end up here, fed up in this prison without any walls?

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