I'm climbing ladders made of promises—

Each rung gleaming with potential,

My name almost visible in neon lights.

Faster, they say. Harder.

Muscles burn, lungs scream,

But don't pause to question—

Just follow the prescribed path.

This maze of expectations

Built by generations before us

Stands unquestioned, unchanged

Like ancient stone walls we dare not scale.

Feet pound against concrete,

Calendar pages flutter away.

The world spins on its axis,

Indifferent to my exhaustion.

Finally, drained and graying,

I step back to survey my legacy—

Where are the monuments?

The brass plaques bearing my name?

Instead, I find a mirror

Reflecting back a startling truth:

I'm just another creature in a wheel,

Mistaking motion for progress.

The cage was always transparent,

But I chose not to see the bars.