Tick the box, wear the tie
Don’t ask how, don’t ask why
Follow rules, stay in line
They say that’s how you shine
Hair’s too wild? Voice too deep?
Put your dreams back to sleep
They want neat, not too bright
Don’t stand tall — stay polite
Your name, your past, your zip code too
Decide what you’re allowed to do
I’ve been disqualified for truth
Just because I don’t fit their proof
Check the boxes, fill the form
Play it safe, be the norm
But I won’t shrink to fit their frame
I light the match and torch the game
They dress it up with praise and pay
But silence is the cost you pay
You lose yourself to fit the brand
A pretty lie they understand
But I’m not made to just obey
Or sell my soul for a resume
I’m fire wrapped in quiet rage
Too raw to fit inside their cage
Check the boxes, lose your name
Earn their nod, forget your flame
But I’d rather fail in my own skin
Than wear their mask and fake a win