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Reappak Apr 2020
"I'm taller now"
the building said
"I'm older" the tree replied
"A hundred years ahead!"

"I carry humans"
The building spoke
"Provide shelter too!"
Oh dear Mr. Tree! What do you do?

"I bear fruits"
The tree told
"I'm a home to the birds"
Oh Mr. Building! This is what I do

"Ah! I'm stronger!"
The building argued
"I'm made of bricks and stones
Oh dear Mr. Tree! How strong are you?"

"I've lived the storms"
The tree responds
"On me the flowers bloom!
My dear brother! I'm whey stronger than you"

"It's the humans I carry"
The building added
"The ones that planted you!"
Now who's important? Me or you!

"I allow them to breath"
The tree sighed
"I give them fresh air!
Yet cutting me down
Is their very pride"

The building now was hushed
Not a single word
All his pride crushed
Now it felt absurd!
Andrew Rueter Apr 2020
Competition is ingrained in us
from the very beginning
in its simplest terms
I live / they die = I win.

Enveloped by evolution
everything progresses
competition no exception
pervading the minds of the sentient species.

Humans understand there are shades of grey
and know that you can live more than someone else
they see the difference between kings and serfs
and how this dichotomy shapes our self worth.

There are metrics for everything we do
measuring our productivity, our efficiency, our importance
which affects our self esteem
which effects our productivity, our efficiency, our importance.

You can run faster than me, so I say at least I’m smarter
or have more money, or friends
if I have to face the fact that you’re better off than I am
I’ll rationalize my life is harder—so I win.

When you know something I don’t
I feel inferior—this epiphany stings
enough for me to run away in my mind
and believe my wrong ideas are right.

If you choose someone over me
then you’re a fool
I could love you better
as long as we perceive better the same way.

There’s a self-replenishing buffet
but I eat off their plate
ensuring I eat more than them
and when that’s not enough, I eat them.

Anthrax says who cares wins
while internet trolls say who isn’t mad wins
but I’m too mad to care
stuck in a last man standing mentality.

We’ll see who’s winning when I’m ******* on your grave
in this world where crossing the finish line amounts to a loss
there’s no use in crying over spilt milk while I’m milking the clock
waiting to be victorious.
Sydney Feb 2020
She doesn’t try
Doesn’t have to
I try
Maybe too hard-
        “Notice me”
        “Look at me”
        “I’m funny”
        “I’m pretty”
        “I’m ****”
Maybe I’m wrong-
I don’t deserve you
Not like she does-
        “She’s funnier”
        “She’s prettier”
        “She’s sexier”
But I have something-
She doesn’t have
        “I’m more broken”
Sydney Feb 2020
I wish I was her
You laugh with her
You talk to her
You hold her
You kiss her
Why can't I be her
Why choose her
Am I not good enough
        Pretty enough
        **** enough
She’s your lover-
I’m your friend
But I’ll never be her
You won’t like me-
Like you like her
I’m not her-
You want her
Aneesh H Jan 2020
'Every competition - is not
A struggle to win over others
But a battle over one's own insecurities
To overcome a perception of exclusion'
I have been a part of the rat race, yet did not want to be a rat. I have often felt, that there is so much of aimless competition in our daily lives that the purpose of doing an activity and experiencing it without the secret feeling of jealousy, and an urge to win it, is nearly impossible to have!

I look at this maddening race of life, from an outsider's perspective. Rather than be a part of the mad race, I would be happy to stand outside and introspect. I
How graceful and more fulfilling it would have been to progress at each one's own pace, pausing a moment in between, to reflect upon the freshly bloomed flower and its beauty, or the morning chirp of the the birds, their flight and gaiety?

Is competition a necessary outgrowth of civilization, or a gangrene that the body of civilization can do away with? Has it dis-cultured us?! What are your thoughts?
Carlo C Gomez Nov 2019
Winning at all costs
Usually means
Losing everything in the process
aha Nov 2019
run
lining up at the start
that's all it takes
just line up

you cant win if you dont try
can you?
just try your best mate! you can do it.
Colm Nov 2019
Volley with the moon
A ball
.
Stretch as horizons
Stretching out
..
Leap until the stars, your ears
Are all about
...
And never fall
Push back the creeping ground
....
When you’re tall, be tall
And strong
.....
When your voice is alive with song
Sing loud
......
And when they say, your hammer strike has lost its might
Pour down a rain of blows like a bursting cloud
.......
Showing all the might and rush of youth
In a Springtime unexpected so soon
........
No anvil ever lived without a thousand strikes
Or snowfall ever cared for open eyes
.........
Because where you see them looking up
Strike, with a forceful meaningful down
..........
As if we were never meant to be
Anything but alive
...........
Arise, and find your former self
Awake alive, your hammer rise
Wow, this one really exploded off the tongue. I don't usually do this, but here's what it means to me.

The dots show progression, a line by line growth of boldness and spirit.

As for the individual sentences - You should practice often, and stretch regularly in reflection. Dreaming for yourself, big dreams (this is the best way to live). And in your pursuit, you shouldn't be calling a failure a failure. Instead push back and learn from your mistakes. When you are something, embrace it. When you have cause for joy, be joyful. And when your joy is contested; push back and battle through adversity. Show the hungry newcomers that their youth is no match for your seasoned fire. Just as no winner has ever won anything, first without the loss. And when the time comes to execute, let yourself be free to unleash fury. Competing with a vengeance that'll show you your body, mind and soul aligned. Here I call you to action, my most passionate self. Arise.

I love competing.
Colm Nov 2019
When you decide to fight
To battle back against the night and it's dying ways
Having seen the light which comes anew
To trump the lights of ever eave
When you've decided no longer to RUN but to BE
You will become as one
With every memory and hopeful dream
Which your childlike self ever dared to dream
When I was a kid, I dreamed of creating worlds and winning championships. BIG dreams for such a growing kid. And now I can say that I've been doing both of those things. (:

That's what this first verse in this series of three is about. Letting go of any worry and just completing. Giving it your all without fear of outcome and then being able to accept the results of that competition.

Stop running. Start being.

You'll never lose that way.
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