Maze Poem– A Life Poem About Survival and Perspective
- Deborah Ann Martin
- Jul 12
- 3 min read
When Life Feels Like a Maze
In today’s My Poetry Corner, I’m sharing a short poem with a deeper meaning.
Maze Poem is a four-line poem that mirrors how life feels sometimes, especially when you're the one dodging dangers that others create just for sport. The dog plays, the cat plays — but the rat runs for his life.
It’s about perspective. Some chase for fun. Others run to survive.
Maze
Dog
Chases cat
Cat chases rat
Rat solves the maze
From Kid Moments: Poems for Early Readers
Part of the Life Moments Series
© 2025 Deborah Ann Martin. All rights reserved.
Reflection on My Maze Poem
My Maze poem might look like it’s just about animals, but it’s really about life. The dog and cat are playing their usual roles. But the rat? He has to think. He has to adapt. His survival depends on it.
That’s how life is sometimes.
Some people are chasing power. Others are being chased. And a few, like the rat, are using every ounce of energy just to survive the twists and turns of life’s maze.
And it’s not always about physical survival.
Sometimes, people think they’re being funny — making jokes, pulling pranks, teasing someone in front of others. But what’s funny to one person can be hurtful to someone else. I’ve seen sexual harassment, racism, and prejudice disguised as “jokes.” I’ve seen people laugh while another person goes silent in pain. It’s easy to laugh when you’re the dog or the cat.
But when you’re the one being chased, mocked, or cornered — you become the rat just trying to make it through the maze.
What’s fun for one person can feel like bullying to another. And kids deal with that every day at school — silently trying to stay strong. Adults living in the community or at their job — silently dealing with it. Sometimes it's someone in their homes.
But here’s what matters most: The rat solves the maze. He doesn’t just survive — he finds his way through.
When people laughed at me or teased me in front of others, it hurt deeply. Those moments left emotional wounds that took a long time to heal. But over time, I figured out how to get out of that mental maze. I didn’t stay stuck. I didn’t let their cruelty define me.
The rat doesn’t just run — he solves his issue. And if you’re in that kind of maze right now, I want you to know: You can get through it, too.
The Style Behind the Words
Poetry Style Name: Philosophical Micro-Poem
Structure and Form: 4 lines, linear progression of action
Meter: Minimalist — no set rhythm, intentionally sparse
Rhyme and Rhyme Scheme: None — relies on structure, not sound
Sound and Rhythm: Crisp, abrupt — matches the chase
Poetic Devices:
Juxtaposition: Play vs. survival
Progression: Dog → Cat → Rat → Solution
Tone: Thoughtful, metaphorical, urgent
Theme: Life struggle, perspective, survival instinct, emotional resilience
Explore More Kid Moments
If Maze made you pause and think, you’ll enjoy the variety inside Kid Moments: Poems for Early Readers.
Not every poem is silly — some, like this one, speak to deeper truths in simple ways. Kids get bullied in school in other ways. Ways that crush their spirit. Sometimes these wounds take a lifetime to heal.
About the Life Moments Series
My Life Moments Series celebrates the real moments that shape our lives — love, heartache, laughter, and growth.
Discover Loving Moments, Love and Heartache Moments, and Kid Moments — collections filled with poems written from the heart, for every stage of life.
References
Kid Moments: Poems for Early Readers. Deborah Ann Martin, 2025.
Deborah Ann Martin Amazon Author Central Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/deborahamartin
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