The cacophonous alarm clock’s jangling
Announces the commencement of another day
A laborious struggle to toil, to earn, to remunerate
The never-ending bills that seem to perpetually stay
The frenzied morning rush, a hectic pace
As we hasten to get to our station
In the rat race, the interminable chase
For success, for recognition, for a more palatable taste
The quotidian grind, a tedious chore
But we persevere, pushing through the door
For a sense of purpose, a raison d’être
For the dreams that keep us alive, and never let us forget
But sometimes, the struggle takes its toll
Leaving us fatigued, burnt out, and isolated
Yet we continue on, through the highs and lows
For the hope of a better tomorrow, and a chance to evolve
So let us persevere, and find the fortitude
To keep on working, through any duration
For in the end, it’s worth the struggle
To live our lives with purpose, with meaning, with fortitude.
Charles Ho Wang Mak is a PhD Candidate and a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Glasgow. He lives in Glasgow, Scotland, where he starts to admire poetry.