2005
Joe Strickland 1986 (Hobbysville, SC)
the year's end
nears,
boardroom brats
bloom
into yuppies,
casting aside
the commune's creed
for lucre's
lustful grip.
greed's hold
tightens,
choking the spirit
of free love,
replacing it with the cold,
plastic swipe
of Visa and Mastercard.
ambition reigns,
a wildfire's blaze,
the "me" decade,
where self-interest
reigns,
a world consumed
by unyielding
gluttony,
its soul now lost,
a hollow,
empty shell.
we swore
we were going to change
the world.
About this poem
As my 20 year high school reunion comes in less than a year, this poem reflects on how the idealism and communal spirit of the past has been replaced by materialism and greed in the present day. The speaker laments the transformation of young idealists into money-hungry yuppies, who value self-interest over communal values. The poem mourns the loss of a world once filled with hope and love, now consumed by ambition and greed. The final lines reflect on the disappointment of not being able to fulfill the promise of changing the world for the better. more »
Written on March 27, 2024
Submitted by JoeStrickland on March 27, 2024
Modified by JoeStrickland on March 27, 2024
- 30 sec read
- 11 Views
Quick analysis:
| Scheme | ABCDEFGBHIJKLIMNOPQROSTUVWXYZ1 |
|---|---|
| Closest metre | Iambic dimeter |
| Characters | 463 |
| Words | 97 |
| Stanzas | 1 |
| Stanza Lengths | 30 |
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"2005" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/183860/2005>.
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