They built you a playground out of their failures,
So you never needed to make mistakes of your own.
All the equipment is used and you don't own a thing.
There's rules on this turf they call "yours".
No running. You will fall. Everyone who's ever run has fallen.
Never let anyone else on it. This is not a toy to share.
Everything done on the playground will be reported back.
So you follow the rules because there's failure plastered
Everywhere you look and touch on the plastic and metal.
Even the wood chips and dirt tell a story of regret.
You climb all the way to the top, careful and meticulous.
At the top you see others just like you; up so high.
But there's shadows and shades everywhere.
You watch through large glass skyscrapers as others climb higher.
Once in awhile you receive paper planes that offer you
Newer and better equipment. The first time you get one,
You forget to not run on the playground and you fall,
Because you've never run before.
There will be no remodeling or extending on your used space.
Your landlords forbid it as they crumple the plane instead of fly it away.
They pile up until the whole floor is made up of them.
No one gets mad that you've changed out the wood chips and dirt.
Slowly, people start to walk by your playground.
They want to try out the equipment. They want to play with you.
And you let them do it because you are afraid of loneliness.
They nitpick the wear and tear, while laughing at you.
When they walk, they smash the paper airplanes beneath their shoes.
But you clean it up every time, you straighten every crease.
When they start to peel back the paint and bend the plastic
You absolutely lose your mind.
That's why you buy the fence and you guard it twenty-four-seven.
But the damage is done and you aren't allowed to remodel.
You report this back to those in charge,
But they no longer care.
"It's not our problem you can't take care of your stuff."
"How long are you going to play on that?"
But you never played on it. Not even once.
They hounded you about proper protocol.
What the hell do they mean play?
Who the hell plays on a--
Playground.