I was a hero once
Or so it seemed
My life was gripped in the vise of commitment
And Truth was my name

It was all so long ago
The tilted windmills of my youth
Still smugly sit atop the hill
My wide-eyed innocence lies smashed upon the rocks below
You cannot change the world
If you cannot change yourself

So now I chase the American Dream
I never wanted
Marinating in suburban mediocrity
Struggling to keep up with the Jonses
A task to which the Mahoneys
Are never quite equal
My life defined
By the endless repetition of mindless tasks
Mow the lawn
Wash the car
Fix the sink
Tend the garden

I still have my ideals
I tell myself
Lamely
When, on occasion, I ponder who I am
But principles without actions
Are like the kiss of a whore
Or the handshake of a politician

I cannot think of these things now
The weight may crush me
Besides
My nap awaits
But I will awake, my friend
I will awake