we are all
lost
we did not
receive
the greatest
handout
our gift was not
inheritance
now we
struggle
all can not
succeed
it is not the
way
failure is our
destiny
our spirits
forsaken
give up they
command
I say
No.
My life is in my
Hands.
I will not let them
Win.
by Cody McCullough
Photo by Elizabeth McCullough
Cody McCullough Writes: 
‘Struggle’ is ‘jihad’ means just ‘struggle’, ‘to try’, ‘to go for it’, ‘to Peace-Justice strive’
(But they keep calling it ‘holy war’… Weird… [probably a brain game – to win ‘hearts and minds’, cynical me]…)
“give up they/ command/ I say/ No./ My life is in my/ Hands./ I will not let them/ Win.”
This is your jihad. Don’t let them win.
Thanks for the comment. I always try to leave my poems open to interpretation. You have a great eye for examination. When I wrote this poem, I had two competing ideas in mind. The first was the idea that we all get a handout in one way or another, whether we would like to admit it or not. The second was the idea that past and current generations have used up many of the natural resources of the world and left current and future generations with mounting piles of debt. Of course, those two ideas are really just the tip of the iceberg….
I remember when i was in school way back when – they just started talking about greenhouse gases and the like. I remember thinking, the tone here is like, we ought to care because of our future generations… think about them.
Now, remember. This was the 80’s, the height of Thatcherism. Preoccupations with the capital interest of The Self was master. It occurred to me: what if people (like many boys in a ‘hard-nut’ comprehensive boys school I studied at) didn’t care about future generations. Suddenly, the persuasive power to ‘care’ would be lost. I ignored the thought, thinking that wouldn’t happen. People naturally care, right?
Years later, ecologically speaking its all getting a lot worse. This is what happens when The Self is king. š¦
Great poem. Succinct. Powerful. š
this is beautiful Cody. hits right in the center of the heart.
I’m glad you liked this poem. Thanks for the comment.
Elegant in its simplicity.
Thank you Paul.
Guilt and rebellion
Good observation.
Good writing.