Candle Lit Walls
Winter winds rattle window panes,
yet, no tenant ever complains.
And shadows on candlelit walls
flicker; as the flame flares and falls.
A worn blanket that's paid its toll
substitutes for a warm bedroll.
And though it supplies meager heat,
a kerosene heater's a treat,
Money is as scarce as kind words
for two impoverished lovebirds.
And though the hope shared in their hearts
may dwindle, it never departs.
Poverty threatens their next breath,
in this saga of life and death.
Pills to escape and pills for pain,
the only thing that keeps them sane.
Social Security's a joke,
hung around poor folks like a yoke.
Couples are hard-pressed to exist,
and yet, no one wants to assist.
Their needs are small, yet death lurks near,
living in the shadow of fear.
And yet, love is what gets them through,
thanking God for each day anew.
When people let money decide,
those without it; get swept aside.
But the rich vow to fix this wrong,
let us pray; the poor live that long.
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