Wall with Hole, Micagoto
As if we have forgotten why we built those walls
How could we? Under fire from their scathing words, burning, scalding.
Enforcing expectations exceeding our mortal limitations,
We put up those stone constructions, to prevent our own destruction.
For fear of our self degradation, we force ourselves into isolation, a lonely existence, yes but a safe one, free from a perceived desolation.
Why the walls, well, what else was there to do?
The world we were taught, now fraught with anger,
The sun’s a stranger, its warmth seemingly cold,
While the moon brings danger, and under its pale light, children like you, and once us, grow old.
When every second is a brawl for survival, is there a time for a tradition impractical?
In a world where people fight hook and claw, tooth and nail to see another day,
Look me in the eye, don’t flinch, and tell me if there is another way
In such a situation, does one have time for a childhood?
While I don’t mean to be misunderstood, there’s only a small likelihood.
What good does it make?
Existing, living, loving, dying, how far will we be pushed, what will it take, until we break?
Out of fashion? More like out of sight, and out of mind.
We live and die in a world, unjust and blind.
So we stare into the water, if we can bear the sight.
What is reflected? Broken dreams? A face ingrained with regret? An image of our whole life dissected?
Truth be told, all I see is me, distorted, the mirror shattered and broken, choices and mistakes
Fueled by reckless abandon.
Gone are the heroes and monsters, hiding in the clouds.
And with them, we lay to rest our childlike wonder on a funeral shroud.
Maybe, once, we watched those leaves on the stream, dancing, lilting.
But the winter has frozen the current, swirling leaves fading and wilting.
Time is of the essence, and there are things to be done, battles to be won.
But at what cost? What price? What then? What now?
“When change is sudden and unexpected, it can force an inexperienced individual to mature and gain new responsibilities quickly, which can lead to rebelliousness and discontent because the individual is forced to give up part of their youth in order to adapt to the new pressures now placed on them, and as a result must create different personas to deal with the outside world.”
I often find myself struggling with seeking out new experiences versus stepping back from new responsibilities. In today’s day and age, there’s a heavy emphasis on coming of age, on growing up and becoming more mature. There’s this pressure, especially from those in authority over youth (teachers, parents, counsellors), to mature. With increasing speed, we’re being exposed to new experiences that are all meant to help us in life. While in most cases, it’s beneficial and well-meaning, it also causes a lot of pressure on individuals.
The rapid changes and the loss of their youth not only puts individuals under pressure, it also causes negative feelings and grievances to brew inwardly. Nobody likes being forced to do something, especially when it requires them to give up their childhood and naivety. Maturing means gaining a new and deeper understanding of the truth, and the truth can be painful, and human beings don’t like undergoing pain. Additionally, maturity (and as a by-product, change) can mean many different things for a person, depending on cultural and societal norms.
Society has this way of infantilizing youth under sudden situations, and pushing them to mature under other circumstances, which can cause a push-and-pull mentality that ends up drastically changing the circumstances of a youth. We have a very rigid structure when it comes to daily life (especially for minors), but we also get thrown into the deep end quite a bit when it comes to work and taking care of ourselves.
This change can be entirely unexpected, and the switch between “personas”, of being seen as an adult and alternatively a child, of having to adjust oneself to fit into the mold that society has created, can be too much for several people to handle. The forced development and the lack of support that the turbulent journey of change garners from today’s society only further incites feelings of desperation and discontent. As the adage goes, there are two responses to danger or stress. Fight or flight, or rebellion and discontent.
Broken Mask on asphalt surface. Concept image
In the visual portion, I started by showing a fractured mirror that symbolizes the inability to recognize one’s self and their surroundings; they’ve changed too much to see who they used to be. I made the mirror fractured to show how it was sudden and unexpected – a stress fracture, if you will. The figure is curled up in a protective stance, and all around are pointing fingers, with harsh thought bubbles displaying negative emotions. This is representative of the unwelcome shift that change has caused them, and the negativity they now have on their emotional and mental state.
