I Choose Insanity
Insanity may be a perspective I adopt,
for reason has fallen far short of my expectations,
given that most of humanity has abandoned it;
evidenced by a world in torturous pain, in endless contention,
and values dismissed with flagrant disregard.
What has sanity done for me,
have I not followed the rules,
assimilated and been productive, been part of ‘society,’
yet society has no appetite for the likes of me,
my bulging coffers or recognition of none?
Perhaps insanity drives a different vehicle,
expectations let adrift, and being marginalized a freedom treat,
rather than tethered to this marching line that has no end,
that gives no slack, relief or cares at all,
perhaps a mind can drift beyond and find happiness at the fringe.
Where my mind resides is mine alone to know,
but it is far apart from the mundane blind compliance that society demands,
and far from the treadmill lives of so many I know,
living in debt, to burden the demands of ‘The Man’,
in order to with blood, win the prize of a superficial life.
Insanity looks pretty darn good to me,
lost to the rantings of my inner self,
squirming to rationalize the petty superficialities of living:
the consumerist life, the democratic ruse
and the self-numbing reality of slavery with benefits.
Fuck life’s pretend happiness, drowning in technology,
slaves to economy, ownership and other delusions,
while hatred and greed rules a world with so much more potential,
and humanity hides in little boxes of sanctuary,
hoarding, dreaming for better wealth in a sentient life.
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Tony, I already am somewhat of a fringe dweller and don’t follow the norms of accepted society, living away from town in a rural area. We have accumulated too much “stuff” however that we don’t need, but will be downsizing our home early next year and getting rid of a lot. I think some may call me “insane” (if I was wealthy I could claim it was eccentricity). I enjoyed reading this poem very much.
Thanks John, yes I’m the same, live very simply, and I’d prefer to be eccentric (wealthy) so I could ignore even more of society and be able to create and live. Glad you enjoyed it my friend, Appreciate your kind words.
I believe all humans have the capability of levels of insanity. How we choose to show or hide it is one’s choice. There isn’t enough paper to pen how much of the world I feel and know where insanity reigns. To jump out of the hoop, leave the mad, mad parts of the world is in my opinion our right. I’ve always found it so very interesting to read of others who choose to live off the grid and I admire them for it. I too would if given the chance, leave the concrete jungle of insanity for the more peaceful setting of mother nature, a small log cabin, a babbling brook with plenty of trout to catch an feed on. I beg for the fringe of insanity and what it has to offer. Thank you Tony for shaking the insane real world up a tad. I’m sipping my morning coffee atop my skyscraper in the jungle.
Enjoy that coffee and remember it doesn’t in fact matter where we are, it’s always what we do with what we have that’s important, but for sanity’s sake I choose to not interact on certain levels of life. Not because I can’t handle it, but because it wastes my time and hampers my mental acuity. Cheers my friend, a cabin and a babbling brook would do me fine.
I loved this work Tony and it reminded me of a quote from one of my favorite looneys. “I’ve always been crazy. It keeps me from going insane.” Waylon Jennins: poet, outlaw, and singer: 1937 to 2002.
A great line Bill, and after all, sanity is subjective, and because human beings range from genius to vegetable, I suspect sanity or indeed insanity, is purely a perspective. Glad you enjoyed it my friend.
Mankind seems to thrive on insanity, that’s why we need God.
Thanks Lori, this piece is of course a satire, as one moans and complains about life never going as we expect. That is of course the point, learning is the purpose and taking responsibility for our words and actions. For me it is that God within that needs the finding, as we are creations of him and his spark remains as our core and meaning. Cheers!