My generation

I'm talking about my generation
who grew up playing with legos
because they wanted to know what it was like
to build up something bigger than themselves
who has GPS on their phones
but no idea where they're going
who can raise the roof
but don't know how to raise expectations

I'm talking about my generation
The young girls who will become the mothers of the future
the boys who carry their ambition on strong shoulders
perfectly poised on the precipice of making a difference
cradling our fate in their fingertips
singing it to sleep with linguistic lullabies
promises of tomorrow that are just sweet sounding lies
because we can't go forward
if we don't know what's behind us

I'm talking about my generation
the ones who learn from their own mistakes
but don't take advantage of the lessons of our parents
We should know by now
that victors of brawls over resources only end up with
oppressive guilt, damaged psyches, and trembling bloody hands

I'm talking about my generation,
growing up in the shadow of destruction
that's actually bloodstains in the sand
sending soldiers off to an unknown cause
because digging holes is good for finding oil and for making graves
Where are the marches, the protests, the resounding voice of youths
that know we've got our guns pointed in the wrong direction?

I would talk to my generation,
but I don't think they're listening
the volume on their ipods is too high
blaring out the fact that
my generation wakes up in the morning
to brush their teeth with a bottle of jack
so that the taste of last night's regret is fresh on their tongues.

I'm talking about my generation
who needs to take a physics lesson
to understand how to turn their potential into kinetic energy
how to get this revolutionary ball rolling

I'm talking about my generation
who binges on role models
eating up the images and ideas
that we have supposedly chosen to define success
media men with mass produced metal spoons that have been feeding us since day 1
but we can't get any nourishment from
stick thin models with hollowed out eyes who see the rest of the world as extra calories
and juiced up guidos that waste ink on their skin
don't understand why it's a bad thing that the number of chin ups they can do is higher than their IQ

I'm talking about my generation
who have closed the blinds on their windows to the world
and have become blinded
to all the people that need help
to all the problems that are about to fall into our unsteady hands
to all the facts that tell us that we are killing ourselves slowly

I'm talking about my generation
who's dying for change
but can't find a cause worth dying for
who will never see tomorrow cast in granite
because the future isn't set in stone.
who can look up destiny in the dictionary
only to see that our fate isn't defined

I'm talking about my generation
I'm talking about achieving greatness
about the next leaders
about the impact we will have
I'm talking about today
about right now
about quitting
the apathetic lazy lifestyles that has infected us faster than a disease

I'm talking about our generation
but actions speak louder than words
so i'm taking a stand
right here, in front of you
asking what you're willing to do
asking
how many voices will raise up
how many sparks of passion will blaze up
because the timer's counting down till our days're up
I'm gonna lift the bar until it stays up
to make a better society
enlist in an alternate reality
where we choose empathy over apathy
Change is now. the future is ours.
whatever we decide
we'll make it to be.