Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Work hard, Play hard


When they say you’re only young once
They mean you’re only below 21 once
Nothing keeps us from thinking young 
“Old” is largely a social construction

Work contributes to the construct
When the young person
Hears her first boss announce: do as I say
It’s early onset old age

Since this happens to almost all of us
We know of no other way 
Only a grown-up child actor
Seems to have escaped

Most youth defy the message from work 
As if to prove they are an exception 
Work hard and play hard
A statement I sometimes hear

Meant to represent a type of balance 
Work hard - do what they require of you
Play hard - same thing
Only the referent group changes

Do what the employer says
Do what peers say
The first – “walking the line”
The second – “self-expression”

Work masters
Play masters
We all have both
The first is stern, the other subtle

          

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