Everybody Knows

You look around you
Beaming parents
Nodding aunties
Giggling nieces
Jumping nephews
Shrieking friends
Smiling guests

You notice their presence
They’re always there
Patterns to look for
Guidelines to abide
Designs to follow
Templates to fill
Rules to obey

But the light is out
Senses are blurring
Anxiety is humming
Fear is overwhelming
Have you found you?
Are you you?
Are you them?

So you think you’re free
But the tapestry is sealed
Escape if you can’t breathe
Doomed if you try to persist
That’s the deal of this game
This funny party called Community
This funny creature called Culture

Everybody knows