#26 The paths you've taken

The paths you've taken are yours and yours alone

These paths define your current personality and tone

And lead you to where you are right now

Now while you can never take the same path twice

To revisit where you once trod is my advice

Find a way to do it somehow

For a man who's forgotten from where he came

Does so only to his utmost shame

For he's lost touch with his past

So I'd encourage you all to do this

Go back, stop, and reminisce

Find the mould from which you're no cast

But don't stay for too long in that place

Keep on moving in this human race

Staying back too long should be barred

For you have to move on from your history

To places unknown, towards utter mystery

Even though sometimes, trust me, it's hard.

#25 First Impressions

I sometimes wonder what first impression I give
What criteria people judge me with
How I'm perceived, and how much the impression sticks
How long an impression takes to break, how many clock hand ticks.

I don't care about my appearance much, but it's more than I used to
I find rigorous styling too much hassle to go through
But I still care more than I might like to admit
So I'm curious as to what signals I transmit

So I know I talk fast and my hair is unkempt
That my posture is slovenly despite recent attempts
That I do talk a little posh, but dress as a mess
That I sometimes forget the name of the person I wish to address

That I tend to be keen, at least when meeting someone new
That I tend to mutter when I don't wish to
That I judge people as well, I have just as much guilt
It's something I'm ashamed of, a slight perspective tilt

But I've tried to become aware, so I can correct the pitch
It's much worse to be ignorant than to solve a worry itch
Because I'm a poor judge of character, and people can fascinate
Learn who someone really is, before you character assassinate

#24 The Push

It's not to hard to find the pressure against you
Feel it building up and becoming immense too
These pascals are building up high
Units increasing not passing by

It's quite tough. And it comes from strange places
People demanding you pull out a hand of aces
Or pushing you way past your comfort zone
Taking about things in distasteful tone

You've got to wear these clothes, think this way
You've got to talk like us or it's not ok
You've got to be up with the latest trends
You've got to like this things or we're not friends

I'm not a fan of this as you might guess
But it can be a difficult thing to address
The idea of all being the same is almost despicable
It's your duty, when everyone is pushing, to be individual.

And push back.

#23 A Gentleman's Rhyming Duel

Dear Sir, you've been nothing but obnoxious all evening
And normally, naturally, I'd just be enquiring as to the time of your leaving
But this time I feel special discipline must be enforced
Why are you raising your fists? Ah, you're not cultured, of course. 

Forgive my ignorance of one so uncouth
I'll be generous and put it down to the frivolities of youth
No, dear Sir, when we battle, we battles with rules
So let me explain what's happens in Gentleman's Rhyming Duels.

I know you're a scallywag and a young up-starter
But you must still learn of it, it's our poetic Magna Carta
So lest you invest to test yourself against the best but before you end in destitution
Let me unveil the lines of our constitution

Rule 1: There is to be no physical blows or contact
Only with words may your opponent be attacked

Rule 2: You may not insult an opponent's romantic relation
That line used to say wife, but in the future we don't use that connotation

Related rule 3: It's never an insult to call your opponent gay
You're a gentleman, boy, we're learnéd that way

Rule 4: You must speak in clearly pronounced rhymes
No slanting or mumbling for that is cheating and a crime

Rule 5: Be intelligent in the way that you insult
No baseless jabs or insinuating an untrue fault

Rule 6: When you're disposing of your opponents smart arse
Be dressed well and proper, show him your class

Rule 7: Only battle if the occasion genuinely requires
But if it does you step up and turn that sir back down to a squire

Rule 8: No rhymes aimed below the waistband
Rhyme face to face don't go for the cummerbund

Rule 9: Don't think wistfully of rhymes you could have done
If the duel is over you accept the result and move gracefully on

Rule 10: Be a gentleman in defeat but also be a gentleman as the victor
I've so some men celebrate so great you could measure it with Richter.

See most fellows can't actually follow how we do
We battle at too high a level, do me and you

They've phased in and out, they've tried a little to follow
But seeing gentleman battle, well it's a tough act to swallow
If at the end of it all, you shake my hand
You emerge a tattered but better man

But now you've learnt the game, do you still wish to play?
I assure you I've been duelling since back in the day
And while I play with grace, I play to destroy
So next time think twice before you cross me, boy.