I
They told me, “Adulthood is serious business,
You’ll gain respect, composure, control.”
Today I found my keys in the refrigerator
And debated responsibility with my soul.
I pay my bills like taming wild creatures,
I make lists I will never complete;
My planner looks noble and structured—
Until the couch declares my defeat.
II
Waking up early was part of the plan,
Productivity mode turned on;
But the “five more minutes” button
Is a villain I rely upon.
It negotiates dreams with my conscience,
Signs extensions with my will;
By the time one eye finally opens,
Coffee is my only thrill.
III
I promised a diet each sacred Monday,
And exercise at break of dawn;
But pizza stares at me so tenderly
My discipline is instantly gone.
“Just one slice,” I say with dignity,
In a tone mature and wise;
Next thing I’m hugging the refrigerator
Like it holds my moral prize.
IV
I work hard in front of my screen,
Focused, intense, professional face;
While in another secret tab
A ridiculous video wins the race.
I write emails crisp and polished,
Signed with firmness and poise;
Meanwhile my mind drifts somewhere
Where naps are considered joys.
V
I swore I’d learn something refined—
Languages, finance, chess;
Downloaded an app full of hope
And forgot it by day three, I confess.
The wise owl living in my head
Speaks of goals to pursue;
But the cat upon my sofa
Teaches procrastination too.
VI
Being adult means composure,
No loud laughter in the room;
But one joke cracks the structure
And my dignity meets its doom.
I try to return to serious matters
With a solemn, thoughtful tone;
But I’ve already become a meme
In the office group chat zone.
VII
I planned to save and invest,
To grow with financial grace;
But one unexplained discount
Throws wisdom out of place.
“It’s an investment in happiness,”
I whisper as I swipe;
The credit card smiles maliciously
While the bank records the hype.
VIII
The doctor advised, “Get more rest,”
My body applauded the decree;
But insomnia seized control
With midnight philosophy.
At 3 a.m. I solve the cosmos,
At 8 I barely survive;
Face exhausted yet pretending
I’m alert and fully alive.
IX
I meant to post inspiration online,
Deep reflections, thoughtful art;
Instead I watched viral kittens
With PhDs in comedic parts.
I vowed digital discipline,
But the algorithm knows me well;
It feeds me everything trivial
And my focus goes to hell.
X
In meetings I speak with authority,
Nod like a seasoned guide;
Though inwardly I’m wondering
If I left the stove on inside.
I talk of vision and strategy
Like a mentor with a plan;
While fighting the quiet suspicion
I’ve forgotten something again.
XI
I claimed I’d be organized,
Everything labeled and neat;
But my room looks bravely conquered
By laundry in strategic defeat.
“It’s creative chaos,” I argue
With artistic, noble flair;
The truth is I try to clean—
But motivation isn’t there.
XII
And so unfolds my glorious adulthood,
Between brilliance and harmless collapse;
A strategist in elegant theory,
World champion of minor mishaps.
But if failing is part of being human
And laughter our way to persist,
Then perhaps my daily confusion
Is a triumph I mustn’t resist.
Lost my keys again
Coffee saves my dignity
Adulting is hard
-
Author:
Efrain Cajar (
Offline) - Published: February 26th, 2026 01:36
- Category: Humor
- Views: 13
- Users favorite of this poem: Paul Bell, Lorenz
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Comments5
Emerging into the fully grown is at times painful at others exciting a process that continues for what feels like a very long time. A fun read
That’s the adventure, isn’t it? Growing up never really ends. Glad you had fun with it.
You trying to burn me off? Entertained no end, but bugger it, I'm wasted....😊
Burn you off? Never. I’m just keeping the entertainment levels dangerously high.
Are you talking about me?
Why? Feeling famous?
Depends… are you guilty?
Brilliance is having your keys in the fridge, cos the fridge actually controls life.
Procrastination is the greatest word in the dictionary, saving you the indignity of running to the gym when the bakers is closer.
This is why the decision to make decisions is made after coffee and cake are consumed in large quantities, and the bar is offering free beer tomorrow.
Brilliant logic. Clearly the fridge is the true mastermind of civilization.
And any decision made before coffee is legally invalid.
Coffin my only dream .
If that’s more than poetry, I hope you’re okay. Dreams deserve light too.
Remember You´re still writting the rest of the story.
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