No Dress Rehearsals (Part I) Poem by William Cavanagh

When I was a tadpole I was taught
About work ethics and the ethics of working
I was to become a doctor or a concert pianist
Anything less meant I was a failure
I am neither a doctor or a pianist or
A failure

Adults laid down the law and
Enforced the law as it was laid down
The rod wasn’t spared and
We were not spoiled

They made up the rules as
We went along and
We went along with the rules that
Were being made up as we went along

I was taught right from wrong and
Was taught wrong sometimes
About what was wrong from right
Adults usually did to us what
Was done to them