Poor Adult Rat Race

Written on a day that I was just thinking about all of this financial mess in the United States

Many people are having financial woes,

as they decide which necessity has to go.

Even those, with no materialistic bent,

are finding it difficult, to pay the rent.

Forget getting ahead, they can barely stay in place,

this is the poor adult rat race.

 

They try to sell you on the inner reward,

in a job that pays peanuts and is a bore.

Bosses won't allow you to use your creative strengths but,

will hassle employees, at great length.

How can you have satisfaction and inner peace,

when so many jobs pay the least?

 

If you ask for a raise, they tell you that you're fired,

replacing you with the newly hired.

That person won't ask for a raise for awhile,

then, he'll find out, it just isn't their style.

Rich bosses don't want to share the wealth

or give employees insurance for their health.

 

The poor must do their bit,

so, tell you're kids to get used to it;

wearing those hand-me-downs, no cable tv

and there will be no glasses, so that junior can see.

Tell them not to whine,

tell them to get up early, rise and shine!

Born rich is the luck of the draw,

child, it does no good to sit there and bawl.

 

The poor try to augment the groceries they buy,

more and more, are learning to dumpster dive.

You can't afford food, let alone a ring,

those rich dudes hold the mighty purse strings,

but, if you have no money to go to the store,

it's all your fault for being poor.

 

While workers endlessly strive

to make ends meet, just to stay alive,

CEO's buy million dollar johns

and feed their hunger with expensive bon-bons.

Many people are full of rage and doubt,

when they see the rich get a government hand-out.

While we scrimp and go without,

our taxes are used to give the rich a big bail-out.

 

The rich will stay rich, I guarantee that,

with political fund raising, tit for tat.

The rich are the people in charge

and their wallets are made in size extra large.

There is no way they're giving it up,

they don't want to share that over-flowing cup.

 

Reviews

[Mia]

Ey...the rich get rich and the poor get poorer!
Few people cross over from poor to rich and none make the cross going the other...most choose death over no money!
Lots of sad truths here! Well written, I'm glad to have read it!

[Barbara Walker]

Thank you Mia!

[Craig2591]

Oh, yes! Well put! I especially like, "it's all your fault for being poor."

[Barbara Walker]

Thank you!

[Frieda P]

This is a superb piece Barbara, a sign of our times unfortunately.

CEO's buy million dollar johns
and feed their hunger with expensive bon-bons.
Many people are full of rage and doubt,
when they see the rich get a government hand-out.
While we scrimp and go without,
our taxes are used to give the rich a big bail-out.

Great verse!

[Barbara Walker]

Thanks!

[Mr Dunne Poetry]

This a great piece right here, it would definitely fit on a poetry-rap instrumental such as a piano piece maybe. If you were to use a mainstream rap instrumental for example the lines/bars would need rearranging slightly. I'd love to hear the outcome. I hope this helps :)

[Coyote Poetry]

The poem told a real story. USA is controlled by the rich. If we don't stop the big companies from only hiring part time and giving less to the workers. We will be in big trouble. We are on a highway that will follow Europe if we don't change. Thank you for the thoughts provoking poetry.
Coyote

[Doctor JKC]

Your rhyming has a natural flow and the message
is made clear and totally agreed with by this
Bohemian poet.

Excellent!
Jack

[Legion]

Telling it like it is I see. Well done. Couldn't agree more. Kudos.