It's an Evolution Thing
© Laura Craig Mason

The Jetson's had push button finger and the
3-day work week,
while I have carpal tunnel syndrome
and am somehow stuck with five
9-5 days of un-productivity.
Where did the flying car go?
Heck, where is that fuel efficient car of a decade past?
I can't look beyond this mile of
SUV superiority for one lone hybrid honda.

I think it's a generation thing;
not a gen. x thing
in what we settle for;
in what we take for granted.
It's a realism thing
as opposed to a pampered idealism thing
when we fight against genetically offered
futures, and half baked elections.

1st kids in line
with lowered expectations
we took the not so good jobs;
we struggle in the poorer neighborhoods.
Not to say that
every generation didn't have it's struggle.
I'm just saying that
I can't afford to live
in the neighborhood that I was raised
by standard issue single parent anonymity.


I see kids 
surrounded by college debt
making less than me
for all my bitter doldrums induced apathy.
I couldn't afford the college dreams of parents 
and extended family;
I barely escaped the register
for a computer screen only marginally better.
It's not about rising above anymore
feel pride in your dead man's float.
It's not about the fulfilling job anymore
what we love has to be nonprofit.

It's not about the 2.5 kids anymore,
only spawn what you can afford.
Only breed given the global resources.
It's not about free love anymore
we have to weigh the actions with the consequences.
Girls arm your minds; expect more
boys don't tell me you don't know any better.
It's not about civil rights anymore,
it's about human dignity,
and if you still believe that gay marriage
isn't along the cultural liberty lines of
interracial marriage
I have some friends to show you
I have some stereotypes to break.

1st kid in line
to mimic the silent generation
to look to third parties
when the two puppets
alienate us with their
mutual understanding of 
copped- out integrity.

The Jetson's had push button finger and the
3-day work week,
while I have carpal tunnel syndrome
and am somehow stuck with five
9-5 days of un-productivity.
Workers rights stalled
at health care and the 5 day standard
I'm still waiting for free health care
I'm still waiting for the European reality of the
4 week vacation.

I think it's an evolution thing;
not a gen. x thing
in what we settle for;
in what we take for granted.
I think it's an eye wide-open thing
not an education thing:
what we see outside of textbooks,
marches and riots

I'm not the 1st kid in line
to mimic the silent generation,
to grin and bear it,
and yet strive for more.
We are might be the 1st kids in line
to nod our heads to phrases like
'the revolution will not be televised'
to slogans as trite as
'just do it'
Will you join us in this fight?
Could you become
the first kid in line;
to see the bigger picture;
the global view
and the reality of
an ever
smaller
planet.