Indebted Lost Souls (Bright Minds Dimming) Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

Success to achieve,
To identify oneself with images...
Of wealth to have it perceived,
Trinkets of gold and lies to them told...
Will keep them from being,
Indebted lost souls.

Everywhere one goes,
Within urban settings...
Seen to observe,
Are those with low self worth.
And nonexisting esteem.
These visions have become valued.
To carry on backs as debris replace dreams.

Bright minds dimming.
And taught to waste time finding,
The nearest welfare line.

Bright minds dimming.
And following behind beliefs to appease,
Those who wish to keep them useless.

Bright minds dimming.
To think of success to achieve,
With strict discipline and motivation...
Are fantasies only seen on TV.

These indebted lost souls,
Peep over shoulders.
Weep more when they get older.
With a protesting against their hopelessness.
And seek still to impress,
Those they believe should empathize.
But empathy from them they get even less.

Bright minds dimming.
And taught to waste time finding,
The nearest welfare line.

Bright minds dimming.
And following behind beliefs to appease,
Those who wish to keep them useless.

Success to achieve,
To identify oneself with images...
Of wealth to have it perceived,
Trinkets of gold and lies to them told...
Will keep them from being,
Indebted lost souls.