•Because we might keep them and then what excuse would remain. •Because discipline looks suspiciously like self respect. •Because resting without permission could collapse the economy. •Because forgiving ourselves sets a dangerous precedent. •Because if we leave, what hurts us we may never learn endurance. •Because wanting more suggests ingratitude. •Because change is unsettling, especially when it works. •Because we are used to disappointment and hope would require rearranging the furniture. •Because a promise kept might prove we were never as powerless as we were taught to be. #listpoem