Big deal

Here's the DEAL with Sri Lanka
and society
From the day you are born, you have to
change your goals and dreams
to suit the DEAL
You have to pass
exam after exam because
it's part of the DEAL
And parents push their children
send them to tuition class after tuition class
make them coffee or tea
so they can study until
today has become tomorrow
The DEAL is engraved in each child's mind
Doctor
Engineer
Accountant
Lawyer
DEAL with it
But every now and then
a kid will reject the DEAL
they will choose a whole other letter
Artist
Writer
Dancer
Singer
Sailor
Pilot
Flight attendant
Something that isn't part of the DEAL
And their parents aren't as proud
because the DEAL is how
a child's intelligence and success is measured
And when you are at a family gathering
the DEAL kids are a big deal
because they are doing something noble
or difficult
or something that will fill their bank accounts
or is socially accepted
something that is part of the DEAL
And sometimes
the non-DEAL kids are spoken to
some bored relative will ask them about
what they were doing or studying
interest feigned
and finally that question
'so what will you do after?'
because the DEAL is the real deal
anything else is just a hobby
just a way to let time pass
until you land yourself in the DEAL