til death do us part

congratulations
me, a 23 year old
fucking genius
for completing
the best years
of my life
already.

i gracefully accept
this gold wristwatch
so that i may
always look upon
my new master.
he has raised me
without my knowledge
and now makes
himself manifest
til death
do i part.

i have myself
to thank
for turning away
from more good days
at such a young age
and starting this
graceful spiral
into stooped
irrelevance,
bent down
around my old
nostalgia.

i accept this
honorary degree
which only i can see
that i will hang
over my diploma
so it's all i will see
when i gaze
into the frame.

thank you all
for coming.
i now understand
the creases
in all your faces
when you glance
at the master
ticking on your wrist,
clucking disapprovingly
so let's just adjourn
and be on our way
(til death do us part)






Written for the "Fail" competition, which asked for "a poem about where you're accepting an award for failure."