When are you going to learn
that learning stops when you grow old

that you can’t keep taking it in like that
and turning it into you?

How long before you realize
that life is life and that is that

that you can’t make any of it better
by being better yourself?

What’s it going to take to convince you
that it’s useless to keep trying

that nobody can better themselves
through hard work and sacrifice?

Go ahead and fool yourself
study your books and hum your mantras

iron out the bad and fluff up the good
in your deluded push to perfection.