don't in poetry

don’t mistake the darkness
for proof that the light
will never come back
I mean it might never come back
but it could

don’t let ‘em trick you into thinking
that hard work is its own reward
that makes you a serf
hard work’s reward is stopping with all the work
and getting to actually live again
the opposite of work isn’t sloth
the opposite of work is living
work if you have to
to keep on with your living
so you can get back to being happy
but not a whit more
that’s how they make slaves

don’t give up
just because it doesn’t get you rich
don’t give up
just because respectability is a thing some people think exists
don’t give up
just because sometimes the sun doesn’t shine
that’s just called the night
don’t give up