I believe that one of the biggest fallacies we tell our children are that they can be "anything they want to be". Also, I'm extremely afraid I won't be able to achieve my dreams, so that prompted this poem. Critique is love <3

Note: Anybody who's read my poetry can tell you I write extremely free-form. As such, critique on making my poems rhyme aren't wanted. But poems on making them sound lyrical and flowing are! I'm inspired by poets such as e.e. Cummings, so maybe that'll say something.

Anything You Want To Be

Growing up they told you
"My beautiful girl
You can be
Anything you want to be."

So in childish fashion of ribbons and whimsy
You spun a dreamscape so vivid so wild
You would be an astronaut!
A firefighter!
A princess in the tower.

Years elapsed.

Now you're here serving drinks
At the cafe in the bookstore
Struggling through college, in pursuit
Of a degree in mathmatics
That old dream has withered
Faded, even.

Who knows that you wanted to be an artist?
An artist that would
Make the world so
Beautiful
We would all cry

Years passed.

Now here you are
And you're old and ready to depart
And even though you were succesful--
Husband, children, a beautiful house--
You're bitter.
An artist who died.

My poor girl.

Growing up they told you
You could be
"Anything you want to be-"
And left out
"But only in your mind."

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i've got a jar of raeg
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I'm the first one to reply here, so, let me tell you:

It is a very beautyful poem. I agree with your point of view, after all, dreams may fade if we don't look after them.

Keep wriring to improve your style!

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I like Lord of Rings, but I'm not human!

I like it. It's sad that all too many people live their lives like that. Makes me want to strive harder to pursue my dream of being a published author!

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Maybe it's true I can't live without you
Maybe two is better than one
-Boys Like Girls
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