The Race, a poem
The Race
Thirteen years you run the race.
Forfeit after twelve.
You are now
A disappointment
High school dropout
Welfare leech.
But in uniform
You are now
An essential worker
Maker of noble sacrifices
(As if you had a choice)
The country is indebted to you.
Nothing is free in this world
So when push
Comes to shove
Comes to falling
Do you want to learn
Or do you want to eat?
Pick one.
Aimee Lew, China-born and New Zealand-raised, is a student at the University of Auckland studying Physics, Politics and Chinese. You can find more of her writing here at Villanesse: https://www.villainesse.com/writers/aimee-lew.