Atlas

This oppressive weight crushes down on me
Atlas stood his ground unyielding
My muscles scream at breaking point
Choke on the tears that stream into a pool at my feet
And a rainbow rises in the air filled with promises it can’t keep

The men on the chain gang sing as they raise their arms
And batter the very earth with their melodies
A taste of freedom on the open road
The shackles an iron reality unrelinquishing
They cut into the softest skin and draw the reddest blood
Leaving sticky footprints on the tarmac drying in the sun

I see the pity in their eyes as they shake their heads as I pass
They wonder how I came to have a starring role in this farce