rise and fall.

the nature of things

this ever-changing set

of do's and don'ts

the haves and have nots 

yours and mine

the rights and wrongs

the goods and bads

what causes one to respect one

and not another?

if i treat you the same

where does your judgement come from

when compared to another's?

is it me?

is it you?

or is it...

when and how

and why

you and i act

when pushed

when embraced

when afraid

when brave

how much is real

how much is decided

i drop my arms

i drop my head

the spinning comes and goes

i think too much

then... not enough

who can remain

conscious?

always?

as we drift in and out

of our bliss

and our shattering realities

i owe you nothing

you owe me nothing

but a common respect

that has become more uncommon

than i ever hoped it would

i've always believed

that you can get what you give

even though

things are not always fair

i've always believed

in trying

to do what i think is right

i know i am not alone

not only in this belief

but in knowing

that i fail

i break down

i fall like a porcelain figurine

and shatter into a million pieces

could i be completely wrong?

sometimes...

i know i am

as i am swept up

and glued back together

never to be the same again

the only thing pure

is this impurity

and i am guilty

and innocent

all at once

everyday

at this very moment

we get back up

until we cannot

any longer.

sometimes

we never get the chance

to say goodbye

to say we're sorry.

what we mean to do

and what happens

is always different

because the future is so unknown

whether it's next year

next week

tomorrow

five minutes from now

or even the next word

you read

thunderstorms and droughts

we walk through deserts

and rain forests

facing perils

and opportunities

evil and love

and everything in between

yet we continue

to step

because it's all we know.

all of the common sense

you may have

all of the experience

you have accumulated

means nothing

as you and i face

tomorrow

the strongest will fall

the weakest will rise

all of us

no exceptions

what we want

changes faster

than we can attain it

and thus

our steps

become a stumble

sometimes

we are caught

and sometimes

we collapse

and regardless

it will happen

again and again

until we breathe no longer

the rise and fall

of you

and

i

...