The Brightest Star Among Us

 The brightest star in the cosmos
Is doomed to die the fastest.
Their deaths have shaped the universe
In ways both mundane and fantastic.

We have no way of knowing
Who among us will shine brightest,
Who will live a doomed life of desperation
Or come up with new ways to delight us.

All of us were told as children
Before our lives were grifted,
"Almost all of you will be forgotten
Only a few will truly be gifted."

They might not have told us directly,
Or pretended we all had potential,
Because for parents and children alike
Believing in greatness was essential.

But for teachers and employers alike
The truth is all too obvious,
Few will be able to stand tall and strong
While most will fall to darkness. 

But what no one is willing to admit,
Not even the most cunning and wise,
Is that most of the children called gifted
Are more doomed than they realize.

A youth filled with warmth and praise
Or the cruelty of rejection,
Can't possibly prepare them for reality
Which leaves them feeling alone and dejected.

The brightest star in the cosmos
Is doomed to die the fastest.
The lives of the gifted shape our world
In ways both mundane and fantastic.

And if the brightest among us
Can die without leaving a mark,
Perhaps the slowest among children
Will someday prove they have spark.