Tanks

I’ve been stood on a stepping stone for a while now

And I want to get off it

But it’s not as easy as it looks

Or maybe it is and I’m just not willing to do it.

Or too scared to do it

Too lazy to do it

Too comfy to do it

Everyone says

Jim

It’s time to take the next step

And I think “why is it?”

Who says so?

I’m alright here

I’m doing ok

Thank you very much.

Basically I think it’s none of their business

And when I wana do it

I’ll do it.

And now

I wana do it.

The thing is

When I step off the step

I wana totally step off it

Not make a quick hop to the nearest one available

And if I don’t like it so much

Just hop back to the old one

I mean totally step off it

Like

Jump off on to a passing speedboat and go “Waheyyy laters!”

So people say ‘Blimey, I didn’t see that coming’

And I’ll be outta there.

Some people

I imagine

Not everyone

But some people

Were given a tank

By God or whoever or whatever

To storm around from decision to decision

Step to step

Nice and easy

Onwards and upwards

Bashing through obstacles like they didn’t exist

But me

I believe

And others

I imagine

God or whoever or whatever

Just dumped the parts on the floor and said

“Here, build this. You’ll need it to get around.”

And I’m like “What? I don’t know how to build a tank!”

So God or whoever or whatever says

“Well, looks like you ain’t goin’ anywhere then.”

So I think “fuck it”

I’ll just stay here then

pretty comfortable

On this step

A humble step

But sufficient nonetheless

I’m having fun

All is well

I don’t want for anything

Food is fine

I live in a nice house

Can afford drink

Girls still fancy me

What more do I want?

Who needs other steps?

What’s so good about where these people are going anyway?

Well

A lot

As it happens

So on a drab day

When I look at my step and think

“I don’t like this step that much anymore”

I look to one side and see the pile of metal

That God or whoever or whatever, has left me

And think “Right, I’m gona build that fucker if it kills me.”

“and get the hell outta here!”

After thought

After writing this poem, I thought

“You know what? I bet everyone is only given the parts to build the tank. It just happens that only some people have the ‘get up and go’ to actually build it on arrival.”