My American Dream

A Poem by Bijal Shah

Photo by Dyaa Eldin on Unsplash

My American Dream

A lottery for most

A dream come true

For the luckiest few

For the others

A nightmare at all costs

Selling your soul to the devil

Sweat, blood and life at peril

Love and friendships lost

In pursuit of giddy heights

It can’t be all about money

I feel ever so lonely

Where did good old European values disappear?

I miss caring for my neighbour

The joy of giving

No more a feel-good feeling.

I feel cheated and crushed to the bone

I sold my soul for the American dream

Only to find empty promises

And irritating narcissists

I came to build wealth

Yet I feel poor

I take solace in knowing that I am not homeless

But is this the benchmark for the soulless?

Does not everyone deserve a clean place to call home?