THE DARK SIDE OF COMPROMISE

On the playground, we’re told of this value;
The one supposedly essential to life.
“You can’t always have things your way.
Play your game for five minutes,
then play his.”
Some adults monitor this with a watch.
What if my game takes more than five minutes? I wonder.

And in relationships, we’re told this is a necessity;
One which will make or break the deal.
“If you want a small house
and he wants a big one
build medium.”
And the marriage counselor measures the couples’ progress.
But what if neither of us wants a medium one? I plead.

As for careers, it is written in the stars;
You take the bad with the good.
“If you want flexible hours
and they want to pay you shit,
then eat the shit.”
The world constrains passion with degrees of freedom.
But what if I don’t like the taste of shit, even with flexible hours? I cry.

With multiple authors, there is no other way;
The truth of one’s voice must submit.
“You can’t ever have your way:
use her truth in this paragraph,
and yours in the next.”
The editor obliterates both with a new fiction.
But what if I can only express the truth and don’t want to write fiction? I now only think (to myself).

So, in life, this value becomes ingrained;
It is a given which we now take for granted.
“When you want things your way,
and the world believes another,
give up.”
Most adults don’t even have to monitor this (anymore).
What if I don’t want to give up? I no longer protest.