Poor

they say

many different ways

to navigate the maze they laid

to survive in the mess they made

they say

many different ways

to get paid to slave

it’s true that i took

but no more than i gave

i see

men on the street

struggle to eat

soaked in defeat

i protect myself

my mental health

that’s richer than wealth

starving to subsist

an order to resist

tortured to pieces

forced to enlist

i see stress in this

give me a minute

to spin it

skim it and then strain it

see if i can maintain it

this

it’s a business and

i’m a witness to the mental sickness

to the demise of the physically fittest

as god is my witness

it’s a test like litmus

you best tell the misses

that i won’t sit still

and i quit this cause i’m listless

i don’t fit on her list

i feel the edge creep

toward the center

of my vision

homeless mentor

on a mission to

buy in variety

broke and broken

hope to get a fix in

they don’t say hi

i might not listen

they don’t play

why

i fight the system

my jaw is raw

drawn and clenched

tight

my breaths are short

i’m sticking with this mission

i cannot abort

you with this?

i’m insisting

we ship out

it’s my last resort

i’m prepared for duty

i’m here to report

if I seem a little moody

if my talk’s a little short

i’m just focused on greatness

no need to know more

if you doubt what i say

i’ll show you the door

i earn respect like

i work in the store

i once heard hate

i don’t hear it no more

i have all i need

i ain’t never been poor