age of 15 combusted first greens
age of 16 ******, no dreams
age of 17 started slangin' QP's
age of 18 got busted by police
age of 19  benzos got the best of me
age of 20 an empty shell is the rest of me.
...

johnny don't need to go to school no more
johnny got some bullets that dont shoot slow
johnny got hisself a big auto-matic rifle
johnny got his own version of the bible.

drop a mouse into a pool full of pyranhas and see what happens
build those section 80 houses in that hood, go ahead...do it.
The problem arises when not only one mouse is dropped, but a million at once, many of the mice will struggle and emerge victorious, possibly even favored by evolution or just blind luck.
Many Many more of the mice will be ripped apart by the pyranhas, never even getting a glimpse of life beyond that miserable pond.
The pyranhas will keep consuming.

The came on the boat, not too long ago.
We are not the natives to this land.
They came in starvation, hearing the call of the huddled masses...
all because one man couldn't plant more than one variety of potato.
They could drink water on the boat but that doesn't stop the thirst,
an irishmen is taken to the bottle at birth, but never weaned.
An unwelcome visitor, no doubt the target of slander, they took up the courage not many would have.
Go West Young Man.

Once you go in the pit, you never come back the same.
Your filthy ego cleansed of its failing heart,
your crooked nose straightened,
knees unscraped,
tears unshed,
gray hairs turn back to their former luster,
wrinkles smoothed permanently.
-E.

I'd tar and feather you
Parade you around the town square grounds
probably shoot you dead with my colt single action
or draw and quarter you with four fine stallions,
or sic the dogs on you with no mercy.
but, alas it's 2017. So I will just sit here and write nonsense.
-E.

slow down,
deep breath,
not as sure footed as your braggadocios ego would lead you to be.
it pulls you in many directions but you can tug back sheepishly.
the pines hold you or you hold the pines.
You need not remember where you're going,or where you came from, you will sleep well tonight.