The Purpose Of Earphones - Mel Afoa

 

If you venture out and ask most teenagers,

What the purpose of earphones may be,
Most likely their answers will be the same,
“For music, duhhh”.
There will be the occasional answer,
“To ignore my family or friends”
Or the witty but rarely said,
“For ears, are they not?”.
The last and most rare, yet also the most significant,
Said by the one you ventured out and found sitting alone,
“To save lives”.

Be aware of such said teenagers,

For they are the ones needing special attention.
They lurk behind the shadows, stand lonely out of crowds,
Earphones in, head down, body limp and heart broken.
If you scroll through the songs on their phone,
Expect no romance.
Do not expect a whole list of emotional songs either.
Expect songs that attempt “to save lives”.
Songs that speak from the heart,
Encouraging to move on forward and forget such troubles,
And though the artist's efforts in motivation and encouragement,
Barely change any of their situation,
They give hope.
The one thing these type of teenagers live for.

To most teenagers, earphones were created for privacy,

Contentedly listening to one's music without disturbance.
To some, earphones offer a brick wall to many who exist,
Their loud and irritating voices drowned out by a melodic beat.
To a few, earphones offer comfort and hope,
When the world around them falls, and the people fall with it.
They are the ones who need earphones the most,
For it isn't just a piece of technological creation,
But a buoy floating in the darkest and deepest ocean,
A full water bottle on the crystal sands of the Sahara Desert,
The petrol filled into a vehicle.

Never lose hope of the future,

Linger not on the past or the present.
Your sticky situation is nothing but an obstacle,
And to overcome such a matter,
You must believe.
Believe and hope.
Plug your earphones in,
And close your eyes.
Smile when you hear the slow or fast rhythm,
The deep and soothing voice of the singer,
The gentle or harsh sounds of the instruments.
The world might not make you feel belonged,
But those earphones will.
God always promises a happy ending.