Climbing the Ladder

Brick by brick, stacking dreams in the rubble,

Pocket change tight, double knots on the struggle.

Sweat stains my uniform, no cape for the hustle,

Bosses barking orders, I’m silent in the scuffle.

Peanut butter dinners, dreams spread thinner,

But the grind’s gourmet, I’m a Michelin spinner.

Blueprints in my brain, scribbled in the grime,

Turn the overtime clock into overtime shine.

Step by step, climbing this ladder,

Grip so tight, hands torn and battered.

Gold at the top, though my feet feel shattered,

The view worth it all when the dreams get gathered.

Duct tape wallet, holding hopes like a hostage,

Fantasies in the margins of a fast-food sausage.

Potholes in the path, dodge 'em with precision,

Turn sweat equity into a CEO vision.

Coffee’s cold, still hotter than my patience,

Work boots scuffed, still stomping on complacence.

The mirror’s my rival, the mirror’s my muse,

I’m the pen, I’m the paper, I’m the headline news.

Every "no" a brick in the castle I’m building,

Every loss a lesson, every scar a gilding.

Doubt’s the shadow, but my torch stays lit,

Turn the dirt they threw into diamonds I’ll spit.