We are those who are treated like children
And yet, expected to act like adults
Our carefree childhood days are over
Now we must be mature and responsible
It feels a little harsh if not cruel
Being thrown into the world so suddenly
And asked to do what we think is right
Our standards are raised
The bar of expectations lifts higher
We are judged collectively as a group
As rebellious, disobedient wrecks
Chores and homework pile up like a mountain
We find little joy in things we once loved
New obsessions take hold in our minds
And we understand a little more than we ought to
Some of us choose to stray from the straight path
Some of us follow it with firm dedication
Others of us just don’t know what to do
Being as stunned and confused as we are
And while we mull it over
We find ourselves distracted
By others like us who hide secrets
And play sly tricks on those willing to believe anything
Who refuse to voice the unspoken law
That we must all try to blend in
Or risk being thrown out and trampled
Here’s to all of us who try our hardest
To be the person no one else can be
While simultaneously fighting an inner battle
Struggling to rise to the top of the heap
To be one of the brave survivors, still standing
With the sword of determination in one hand
And the flag of what we are proud to be in the other
We’ll slice through our lives and use the pieces
To build ourselves up into something great