We may wonder
if Aristotle was this biting
When he tried to coax knowledge
Into the head of Alexander the Not Yet Great
if he bemoaned the boy’s lack of familiarity
with Aristophanes and Sappho, classics, legends
how could you know nothing of them
how the youth of today know nothing
that I would beat your ignorance until you cowered
and worshipped and reveled in my time.

We may wonder
petulantly, of course,
what difference those ten or twenty years make
the source of that bitter contempt
slowly creeping into the crevices of our surroundings
a nest of tiny black ants that
seep out of every outlet
and bite and bite until we learn
to condemn ourselves
rightfully.

(how weak the modern generation is)

And we have to wonder
if they knew how it felt
to be so small
that in a world full of every chance
and every outlet
of all knowledge
and vast connections
the fates are more discerning
the competition more intimidating
the successful more stifling
and every opportunity missed
is a heavy reminder that we
are only more and more
inadequate.

(a fit of pique the youth whine but
they have all at their fingertips
this novelty is a poison how spoiled
privileged they feel themselves entitled)

And we may reason
that the world has moved too quickly
for them
that they feel left behind and out of touch
that they could not possibly understand
us and our world
and that is reasonable
and alright
but it is tough both for the rock that stands
static against the rush of the river
and for the pebble that is pushed along
at the bottom of the water
but
why must you whine and scream
and give up so easily.

(struggle struggle fight and when
you fail it will be proof
that the old ways are superior
how weak the modern generation is)

Please understand
I don’t want to be
supercilious arrogant
I want you to change
is not so simple the
world won’t bend to
your whims
or mine
and that’s alright.

I don’t want to be
forgotten
made to feel bad about myself
we can no longer move
forward
backward
so please
can we

just
make peace

(how weak the modern generation is)