The Myth from Triptych by Jodi Heights

Let me tell you the myth of the self-made man
And how he built up a fortune with his own two hands
Industrious and plucky
An island unto himself
He rose up from obscurity to fame and wealth

When he’s interviewed about his meteoric climb
He says he pulled himself up by the boot straps many times
He went straight from rags to riches by pulling his own weight
With discipline and thrift he made himself a name

But what he doesn’t say is daddy pays the rent
And mommy’s left her fingerprints on every cent
His parents’ cronies funded every venture made
But with luck and perseverance you could do the same

If you just work harder than all those around you do
Equal opportunity is waiting there for you
Here, look at these examples of ingenuity
Find inspiration here and you will succeed

If you can’t push through a million obstacles to win
It’s your own damn fault for lacking skill and discipline
All you need is talent and diligence and luck
From lowly beginnings, all you’ll go is up

He failed to mention that his uncle ’s on the board
His older brother gave him every job he scored
His college friends know CEOs by their first names
But with luck and perseverance you could do the same

From poverty to prominence in no time flat
With unacknowledged help from financiers and bureaucrats
If you can’t win you’ve only got yourself to blame
But with luck and perseverance you could do the same

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