for crying out loud

if we hadn't been exposed
if we hadn't traveled so far away from birth places at such young ages
if we hadn't been told
if we hadn't heard that anything we touch can become gold or at least something precious
if we hadn't been praised
if we hadn't reveled in the knowledge of jobs well done, songs well sung
if we hadn't been loved
if we hadn't known God

the now would be hated
the gone would be hated
the next would be feared like pending death

instead we've been
instead we have options
marry this. live there. want that. grow here.
nothing's fashionable. everything's changeable. we ARE the world and the world is just another option.

we've been taught to know but yet to not
yet some have the nerve to tell us what
is true
we're so confused
and we know that but we keep on listening
cause we're always hoping
that we'll finally hear
what we've always needed
and we'll snap our fingers
and we'll be right where
we've always needed to be
and the world will be ok
and our hearts will be ok

but since when was this earth heaven?