We try so           hard to categorize
All things as          black or white
When in reality,        life is full of gray.
Right versus wrong,     liberal, conservative,
Choose family values       or live for money and fame.

The world wants me to pick a side but I am on the fence.  

I choose to        live life without commitment,
I will go against the         grain.  I am a multi-
Faceted human being, not some       marketing tool
For political gain.         Do not chastise me for
Bending the rules.   It makes you uncomfortable,
I know.
Let’s make this world uncomfortable together,
And you will see that life is better
That way.

The grinding of espresso beans
Intensifies with each tap of the keyboard,
Students eyeing the clock
As the deadline draws near.

The corner girl convenes with her tutor,
Listening intently as he, enthusiastically,
Teaches the Pythagorean Theorem
At $125 an hour.

“Decaf-non-fat-sugar-free-tall-caramel-latte,
With an extra shot of caramel, please.”
The bemused barista smiles
As she eyes the empty tips jar.

Every small square table is occupied
With souls sipping on overpriced coffee:
Who knew one could find such thrill
Observing others like it's a hobby.

Your release was like seeing
The details of leaves
For the very first time.

Before, I only saw in watercolors,
A pretty image diluted in
Mistakes easily erased.

So perfect was your work
Full of falsified fantasies of our future  
Everyone but me could see
The details of our leaves.

Time would reveal
The fruit of your labors
As they soured into acid that ate away
The concealed cracks of your character.

Now, the flaws are on full display,
Unfiltered, unchanged.
Because of you, I now see
The details of our leaves.