The Shackles of Should

The Shackles of Should

Paul Manchester

The shackles of Should can stifle my soul.
A crack of its whip! I dig my own hole.

I bury a wish I cannot profess.
I say that it’s good, and I quiesce.

Life should be this way! Life should be fair!
I can’t think differently! I wouldn’t dare!

Yet…

Should is a trap. Should is a lie.
Should only bitterly guides what I try.

Should is a blindfold. Should is a weight.
Should is a pressure that will not abate.

Should is a phantom. Should is a shade.
It can be a place where my strength is unmade.

I paint a picture. Embrace all its grief.
Soak in its hollow and seek no relief.

Strife often deafens with too many voices,
damning my life as the sum of my choices.

But that’s a strength. Those choices are mine.
I learn and choose differently given the time.

Truth is what is. It can be I want.
Truth is a dream that I’m willing to flaunt.

Crap happens. It’s tough. The fates are tough bitches,
yet they can be swayed by kindness or riches.

Great riches are out. I’ll be kind with a spine.
I’ll push for my visions and build something fine.

Should’s carrot is buried. It will not be missed.
It’s so freeing to learn that should doesn’t exist.

April 30, 2025

Illustration in header is from Olly Olly Oxen Frey