The Toxic Carrot

Sometimes we act like
A donkey who can be led
By the carrot on a string
Held in front of his nose.
No matter how hard we try,
Nor how fast we run,
The carrot remains dangling there
Just beyond our reach.
It is the illusive carrot
That has us mindlessly plod
Down the path we are on
Oblivious to where it takes us.
It may be the illusion of security,
Or the feeling
Of being safe and protected
That keeps us going.
Occasionally we may even
Get a taste of
The carrot we sought,
Just enough
To wet our appetite,
But seldom enough
To quench our thirst
Or satisfy our hunger,
And so we plod onward,
Forever striving
To get that silly carrot,
Oblivious to where we going.