I cannot defy the laws of physics,

no matter how cleverly I taunt Newton;
I cannot summon an ‘A’ on my math final,

no matter how easily the answers conjure themselves on the practice test;
I cannot cool my reddened face in front of a crowd,

no matter the number of friends I see;
I cannot stop tomorrow from finding me,

no matter how deeply I hide myself in sleep;
I cannot find the right words to express my brewing emotions,

no matter how much time I spend between the bindings of a dictionary and thesaurus;
I cannot make everyone happy,

no matter how much distress and displeasure I bring upon myself;
I cannot persuade you to agree with my opinion if it is against your own,

no matter how carefully I plan out the argument;
I cannot convince you to like what you see and hear when meeting me,

no matter how roughly I twist and sharpen my characteristics;
I cannot fulfill all of the aspirations placed before me by myself and others,

no matter how clearly I see the final destination;
I cannot change the world single-handedly,

no matter its potential or willingness;
I cannot veer my body away from the path to Death’s carriage,

no matter how much I beg and struggle;
But,

no matter how mindful I am of all this,

no matter how inevitable reality may seem,

no matter how forcefully I am shoved back in line,


I can try