Nothing Is Yours Poem by Raj Dronamraju

You walk through a forest that you did not plant
That you are in no way responsible for
When you realize this is freedom, you react with carelessness
Toss your trash on the forest floor
A still smouldering match head is left in flammable surroundings

You walk through a castle that you will never own
You will never own a place as remotely grand as this
When you realize this, you resort to petty vandalism
An unflushed toilet here, a pulled down curtain rod there
The electrical wiring has been tampered with

The consciousness that sets one foot in front of another is all you bring with you
It's all you have, it's all that's really yours
It wouldn't take much to break your world
Since it sits on a foundation of illusion
A beach house, a swimming pool, cars by the score
None of it is permanent
None of it is real

In a corporate suite sits a man who has fooled himself
Do not confuse the limited number of things you can do something about with a material existence you are not really part of
The resulting tangle will rip out your veins
But that too is something in your mind
It's only real if you invest wasted time in attempting to acquire and/or control that which will never be yours