The economy of ambition

The economy of ambition —
it means five things.

One,it is a system,
a hierarchy of wealth,
that we assume only
a few can own
the majority,
only those with nothing
to lose
by family and history.

Two,
it is a wisdom of choice,
a parsimony of decision-making,
risk-taking, heart-breaking,
to match effort to
outcome, fit people to
hypothesis, passion to market,
a silicon promise.
Save, don’t spend.

Three,
it is the richest luxury
marketplace.
This signal humming inside
our mainframe, these masses
huddling inside our untimely
trains, is a privilege
we do not price,
a limited quantity
we do not count.

Four,
it is the exchange
of life for salary.
Trade my time and youth
for your profit.
The currency of our minutes,
the value of our days.
I produce
for you to consume,
the adrenaline
singeing my veins.

Five,
it is so scarce a resource,
so full a desire,
so burning a brand,
so punishing a fine,
that I cannot recognize it,
speak its name aloud,
tag it, claim it,
even to myself.

My secret is not
that I’m a connoisseur
but that I never made it
as a server.