You rise with the sun,
but your soul still sleeps.
You run and you grind,
but your silence weeps.

Early to bed, early to rise,
not to be free-
just to win a prize.

You chase health
but not to breathe deep-
only to flex
and post while others sleep.

You chase wealth
but not to give-
just to build a cage
in which you live.

You chase wisdom,
but not to know-
only to speak,
only to show.

You read, but not to feel.
You work, but not to heal.
You learn, but not to grow-
just to shine in the eyes
of people you don’t even know.

You rise at five,
but never rise within.
You try so hard to win the world-
but forget where you’ve been.

And when the race is done,
and the mirror stops to praise,
You’ll ask:
“Was I alive… or just awake for days?”