One Republic - Apologize
Never has there been a morning where I wake up without the realization and consideration of the sacrifices that you two have made; sacrifices that unfortunately I can never make to repay for the lives you have given up in return for a life I can truly live and mold for myself. And although you never once mentioned the suffering, loneliness, and pain you have felt from the alienation you have willingly chosen for yourselves, deep down I know. I understand. And it is this sole epiphany that I come to love you with an insatiable and exponentially-increasing intensity of love day after day.
For every moment I live happily, I also bear the burden of knowing you are not. I hear your whispers of sadness, I vividly see the black void you dwell in within this society and culture and I never cease to cry with you as the tears roll down your heroic souls. As lonely as you feel, I would like you to know I sometimes cast myself in a lonely state and punish myself in hope that I can alleviate the heat from the burning inferno that binds your circumstantial responsibilities, obligations, and unfair sacrifices to me.
Your forfeits are profound, heart-felt, and simultaneously heart-breaking. Your bodies often work themselves to exhaustion but your minds tirelessly automate and continue on with even more valor and energy. Your strength stretches endlessly and your willingness to abundantly provide cannot be measured by none other than the sensational sympathies of the heart; of my heart. You hurt, tire, and silently cry but you always persist on.
When a mother is on her death bed, every child should run to her side without any hesitation, without any other thought other than her beautiful face. And to not be able to is an indescribable hell not even the most cruel and disgustful person should ever feel. But for you to have witnessed firsthand, such an event, is an endless sorrow and reminiscing reminder I promise to keep with me, forever. I know you cried heavily and loudly that night and although we were distances apart, I raised a havoc of storms, monsoons, and downpours of my own tears because I understood then and I still understand even more so now.
Please be patient with me. I am trying my best everyday to become the man I was destined to be so that your sacrifices were not made in vain, your tears unheard, nor pain unremedied. Every time I procrastinate in any endeavor, I punish myself for the time I have lost and more so for how I cannot afford to lose any more. I want you both you see and realize that I set my goals boundless by realistic and practical notions because before I allow you to leave me, this world will know of my name and the reason why I succeeded beyond any measure or logical explanations.
That very reason is because of you.
I will give you your brightest smile for having long taken it away from you.
You will be proud of me.
-Vo Dang Khanh
Monday, February 8, 2010
How Can You?
How Can You?
How can you?
Sit there and be herded through school
like mindless zombies aimlessly wandering around
like manipulated fools
you might as well just mOO
like the cow meat that you eat
starved of conscious mind food from the dry academic heat
that make your feet move
with quickening haste
through an institutional cycle of American POP culture
that makes you selfishly concerned only about your own upward, social pace
How can you?
Wake up every morning and get dressed
just to impress
to receive a minimal salary
you make grudging hourly
the repetition
boredom
suppressed anger
and depression
of a job that left you
robbed
stripped naked
by a legitimate and systematically
subtle mob
of
individualistic principles and broken promises
that leave you unaware
of the human decay
you suffer day by day
40 hours a week
making you meek
frail
and derailed
in a temper, bipolar-ness tantrum of frustrated defeat
so that you can look towards the short weekend for
relief
and before you know it
in 2 days
it’s once again a Monday sometime in May
of NEXT YEAR
and you’re in the same spot
without a plot to break free
of this working-to-survive epidemic disease
How can you?
Live out the rest of your life
concerned only about you own well-being and personal strife
as you progress towards a materialistic and empty goal
weaved together by false securities
fueled to burn by capitalistic charcoal
that is generic and corrupt as they come
because whatever the system feeds you,
you take,
opening your mouth wide
consuming as much meaningless pleasures of life you can possibly rake
And at the very end when you finally have a chance to sit back and relax
in your multiple-financed home
as fragile as hot wax
your reflection back through life
now conclude at your old age
realizing
all the institutionally selfish mistakes
you have foolishly made
have not been justified because you were
moving through the world so fast
enabling yourself
unable
to stop and smell the flowers for the
brief
moment that their beauty truly last
but at age 80 learning the humanity lesson can be hard
as this society now hold your wrinkles and bones
in complete disregard
your existence no long matters as you
slowly and quietly disappear away
personally apologizing to your guilt for your younger and clueless days
where Facebook
beer pong
one-night stand hookups
that BMW 3-series
your 2.3 kids
and prosperous
American Dream
was your complete world
now comes shattering down in a lonely, climactic whirl
So how can you?
Go through life the way you do
when people are cryin’
dyin’
mystified by the lyin’
that puts life in body bags
contorted in different shapes and sizes
families separated
genocide and war
international human rights faltering
corrupted foreign policy
and the American Dream popular galore
that makes you desensitized
to the victims who are blind
bleeding
fearful to breathe
undeserving of torture and the endless pain they receive
EASY
just turn your head the other way
close your eyes
and
plug your ears
and act like nothing is wrong
or in the words of Rihanna,
“Just live your life, Ay a Ay a Ay a”
-A12
How can you?
Sit there and be herded through school
like mindless zombies aimlessly wandering around
like manipulated fools
you might as well just mOO
like the cow meat that you eat
starved of conscious mind food from the dry academic heat
that make your feet move
with quickening haste
through an institutional cycle of American POP culture
that makes you selfishly concerned only about your own upward, social pace
How can you?
Wake up every morning and get dressed
just to impress
to receive a minimal salary
you make grudging hourly
the repetition
boredom
suppressed anger
and depression
of a job that left you
robbed
stripped naked
by a legitimate and systematically
subtle mob
of
individualistic principles and broken promises
that leave you unaware
of the human decay
you suffer day by day
40 hours a week
making you meek
frail
and derailed
in a temper, bipolar-ness tantrum of frustrated defeat
so that you can look towards the short weekend for
relief
and before you know it
in 2 days
it’s once again a Monday sometime in May
of NEXT YEAR
and you’re in the same spot
without a plot to break free
of this working-to-survive epidemic disease
How can you?
Live out the rest of your life
concerned only about you own well-being and personal strife
as you progress towards a materialistic and empty goal
weaved together by false securities
fueled to burn by capitalistic charcoal
that is generic and corrupt as they come
because whatever the system feeds you,
you take,
opening your mouth wide
consuming as much meaningless pleasures of life you can possibly rake
And at the very end when you finally have a chance to sit back and relax
in your multiple-financed home
as fragile as hot wax
your reflection back through life
now conclude at your old age
realizing
all the institutionally selfish mistakes
you have foolishly made
have not been justified because you were
moving through the world so fast
enabling yourself
unable
to stop and smell the flowers for the
brief
moment that their beauty truly last
but at age 80 learning the humanity lesson can be hard
as this society now hold your wrinkles and bones
in complete disregard
your existence no long matters as you
slowly and quietly disappear away
personally apologizing to your guilt for your younger and clueless days
where Facebook
beer pong
one-night stand hookups
that BMW 3-series
your 2.3 kids
and prosperous
American Dream
was your complete world
now comes shattering down in a lonely, climactic whirl
So how can you?
Go through life the way you do
when people are cryin’
dyin’
mystified by the lyin’
that puts life in body bags
contorted in different shapes and sizes
families separated
genocide and war
international human rights faltering
corrupted foreign policy
and the American Dream popular galore
that makes you desensitized
to the victims who are blind
bleeding
fearful to breathe
undeserving of torture and the endless pain they receive
EASY
just turn your head the other way
close your eyes
and
plug your ears
and act like nothing is wrong
or in the words of Rihanna,
“Just live your life, Ay a Ay a Ay a”
-A12
Lonely Leadership
Lonely Leadership
Lonely it feels
to be this way
I let myself catch my breath
but at a standstill I am still here today
The pressure on my shoulders
feels unbearable to carry
and although it hurts
it is a life I have chosen to marry
But strong as I have taught myself to be
even this unimaginably, heavy burden can feel light
because at the end of night before my eyes close
I recognize the leadership within me
Half of the fun is the hard road ahead
half of the fun is in the ride
whether it be a group or simply just me
my life I will live, selfishly-free
Because I still hear you in my sleep
I always hear you in my head
you beat twice for every single heartbeat that thumps in my chest
reminding me of your pain that refrains me from unproductive rest
You are like a sweet tune
My personal melody of pain
That only I can seem to hear
Throughout the day
That keeps me going
Keeps me alive
To that very day
When I'll be dying
I promise you all
I will always continue whole-heartedly fighting
-A12
Lonely it feels
to be this way
I let myself catch my breath
but at a standstill I am still here today
The pressure on my shoulders
feels unbearable to carry
and although it hurts
it is a life I have chosen to marry
But strong as I have taught myself to be
even this unimaginably, heavy burden can feel light
because at the end of night before my eyes close
I recognize the leadership within me
Half of the fun is the hard road ahead
half of the fun is in the ride
whether it be a group or simply just me
my life I will live, selfishly-free
Because I still hear you in my sleep
I always hear you in my head
you beat twice for every single heartbeat that thumps in my chest
reminding me of your pain that refrains me from unproductive rest
You are like a sweet tune
My personal melody of pain
That only I can seem to hear
Throughout the day
That keeps me going
Keeps me alive
To that very day
When I'll be dying
I promise you all
I will always continue whole-heartedly fighting
-A12
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