Rich Or Poor

The smiles of children stamped in the mint of memory are the coin of the realm of happiness!

 

My great grandfather and grandmother Ben and Babe Morgan Circa 1920s

A rich man's son inherits want

with no desire to work hands bare

Gives the job to another man

to look out from his easy chair

 

A poor man's son inherits grace

born of toil and sweat of his brow

He adjudged of hard earned merit

pushes on what body will allow

 

The rich man's son inherits greed

with what malice it may entail

Thinking others beneath his station

for lack of character he does ail

 

The poor man's son inherits kindness

which with all others level stands

Then asks the outcast bless his door

to share the fruit of his two hands

 

Heir to what is the rich man's son

tender flesh that fears the cold

To the poor never gives his time

nor dare he wear a garment old

 

Inheriting, it seems to me

what no good man would wish to be

 

Heir to what is the poor man's son

strong muscles and pounding heart

Chipped of a marble character

beloved by all he touched in part

 

Inheriting, it seems to me

what all good men would wish to be

No claim to copyright fair use assumed

Author's Note

It isn't that rich people are per-say bad. Nor that poor people are good. It is the human condition that sets up society by stature. And counts wealth by monetary gain. Money is never happiness. Yet we are told all the time that it is. Look around you. See the multitudes rushing to amass their fortunes. And for what. Women who followed Gloria Steinem's ideals that you can have it all are miserable. Why? Because you can't have it all. You can't spend a life climbing the corporate ladder. Waiting to reach some plateau in your late 30s and then start a family. Children are not easy to raise. Nor cheap to keep in health and happiness. So why does money seem to make so many crazy and so many unhappy? Because money can't hold a hand. Money can't read a child's bedtime story. And money cannot make memories that last a lifetime. Shared life does that. Family does that. Descendants are the answer to selflessness. I cannot forget the look of a child's face who waited for dad to come pick him up when we were children. Only to hear again and again dad was too busy to come get him. How long do we think we will live? Not long. The dreams of happiness preached on wall street are the lies that will not live forever neither will we. The smiles of children stamped in the mint of memory are the coin of the realm of happiness!
Tate

Reviews

[Hanan_Maliah]

My man Tate..I have actually read this through more then once...it is to be reflected upon with more then a first glance. This understanding of being rich and having the world laid at your feet has for eternity been taken in stride...BUT...when you have toiled with your hands to bring your worth it is only then that you become RICH...those that believe the word rich applies solely to monetary gains are in fact poor...I would far rather be rich in mind and spirit enough to enjoy a fresh rain that has kissed the sweetest of roses bringing forth the decadence of scent burnt into memory that only a rose can bring then to be delivered a dozen cut, wrapped, or vased only to die...even then I would try to dry them so their existence is captured in time. I have often told men "Money neither impresses me or keep me...clothes do not make the man but are held together by a simple thread...it is the man himself do not have me find you lacking!" This said I would then ask who is truly rich and sorry to say really the poor..........

[Tate Morgan]

You are a peach I lay my pen in reverence upon the ground beside your feet

[THE LOST ROSE]

At times we all think about being rich or poor. Some of us live that way right now. There are people we know who are rich and we know some that are poor. If you live your life right and treat all people better than you would treat yourself then you will feel rich. What you put out you get back 7 folds! Great poem! thanks for the read request

[Sagela]

oh wow this goes to show that a person should rather be poor with a good body, mind, and soul, and not a rich person, who's only happiness is empty. I would rather be a happy poor person than a sad rich person. Yeah, I will have to work for what i need, but at least happiness will be with me. Good job on this piece. I love it. Keep up the good work.
:D
-*Sagela*-

[Siddartha Beth Pierce]

A heartfelt write for certain. Well detailed and imaginative. Thank you.
Light,
Siddartha

[SeisaMystique]

Nice piece. You use your words beautifully.

[Georgia Gypsy]

Honest and true to word...i have more respect for the man who is happy just being himself minus all the baggage of where he came from...its where he's going that counts! and how he gets there also matters.
Great job here tate, enjoyed it

[deeps]

Such a emotional write here that tugs the heart
A situation that is sad. I really like this I found
It quite interesting

[Lizanne]

ow rich the soul of the one that is not afraid to give and help in all circumstances. The poor man is truly the richest. He knows how to enjoy the moment and all it has to offer. The rich is too preoccupied with wondering where his wealth is going, whether or not he is really loved for himself or for what his money might do for the person professing to care. The poor man is the ant that enjoys all the bounty the world has to offer in the way of love, happiness and friendships. It cannot be taken from him. But the loss of wealth could cost the rich man everything. The rich buy respect, so it becomes a simple commodity, the poor earn every drop of it and it belongs to them. The poor man greets the day and actually views it, the rich have tunnel vision with only the dollar in view. You have taken human nature and dissected it so well that there is no need for the reader to ponder what is being said. You are truly a rich man in words, but have the genius and innovative mind of the poor man. That is a compliment, not insult. The poor man is the one that has contributed the most valuable physical and mental resources to get the world to this highly technololgical state that it is in today. They rich man as always paid to get his name attached to another's achievment. The brilliance of the poor man reflects in the fact that he lives in a achromatic world and has the ability to color it the way he desires. The rich man can only see one color, green. That is why they have to hire someone to choose all their accessories and color schemes of their lifes. Cannot say enough about this wonderfully poetic salute to the common man. Please have that poet's pen bronzed.

[cest la vie]

Very nice write Tate! The comparisons between Rich & Poor were detailed perfectly.
Smooth flow and rhyme.

[Tina Kline]

That is a very well written poem with a very true message.
It had a nice flow to it as I read.
I really like how you laid out the facts
of the rich man and poor man.
By the end its obvious the poor man
really is the richer!