Living On The Fringe

Life spent in the corporate lair
requires accepting certain realities,
for power has its inalienable rights
invest by the one’s who hold the talons of control.

You learn that image is more important than truth,
loyalty valued over competency,
favoritism reigns instead of equality.

So you suppress in your soul the bias that dominates,
accepting a paycheck is better than unemployed pride,
and tolerating ineptitude that is raved as genius,
gracious when you get included as team member
with a passive token of tribute given
before the gold and glory is awarded
to the one deemed deliverer and god.

Playing by the rules that are changed without notice,
contributing you labor though it is seldom appreciated,
because something inside demands excellence be spent
even when the limelight shines elsewhere.

Living on the fringe of fame is a land you till by choice
making it paradise or wasteland
by the seeds you sown in your heart,
facing each day knowing you poured out your passions,
fully and completely into the hour’s demands,
content in knowing that at least with Heaven’s eyes
what you did with zeal and fire
will be seen no matter who else notices.