Selfish Steam
by Andy Wolfendon

I don’t know what it is for sure, this thing called Selfish Steam,
I do know that protecting it is the latest grown-up scheme.

“You mustn’t tell the boy he failed his weekly spelling test.
You mustn’t break the news, his pitching’s not the nation’s best.
You mustn’t tell the girl she’s not the champ, you’ll squash her dream.
In fact, don’t tell kids anything - you’ll crush their Selfish Steam."

“No, when we hold a contest we’ll give EVERY kid a prize,
We’ll hand some handsome trophies out to EVERYONE who tries,
And when they run a race we’ll say that EVERYONE’s the winner,
Then EVERYONE can be the best, from expert to beginner.
And when kids draw a picture, we’ll declare it ULTRA-GREAT!
Whether it’s the Mona Lisa or a figure eight.”

But if I get a trophy even when I haven’t scored,
And every effort, good or bad, receives the same reward,
Why should I try? Why do my best? And here’s what I can’t see —
If EVERYBODY’s special, what’s so special about ME?

When I grow up, is there a crop of which I’ll be the cream?
I probably won’t know much, but I’ll have tons of Selfish Steam!