Written for Justice

Poverty Collection by ALL

You are poor because of your son
He has gained a new disease
He has drained you of your money
And has given you new fees
Fees for all the checkups
And some to give him ease
You don’t see your son anymore
Cause he died at the age of three

You are poor because of your father
He never saved up for your college
He drank beer day and night
So he wouldn’t have to acknowledge
The fact that you were failing
Cause he was an alcoholic
So you ran away at the speed of light
Now you have nothing in your wallet

You are poor because of your mother
She asked for money on your payday
She spent it all on useless things, like Little Uzi’s bling
She told you to respect her and listen to her ways
Then she said “I promise, Someday”
She took too long, you forced her out in spring
You never spoke to her again and you're still working to this day

Your neighbor’s poor but you never knew why
You can tell she was stressed
You could hear her cry at night
You knew she was depressed
You’ve heard and seen, but never spoke
You couldn’t bring yourself to confess
Your devil and angel had a fight
It’s too late now, don’t ask for her forgiveness

You are poor because of where you're from
They judge more cause of your skin
You stay here and send money to your family
The ones with citizenship laugh at you with grins
Because you came from another country
They say you steal their jobs, so they call you a sin
They don’t want to see you look happily
But at least you have your kin

You’re poor just like your father
He wandered the streets every night
While you studied for final exams
You were starting to lose sight
So you ditched school cause you were stuck
Wandering the streets with nothing but the glow of streetlights.
You became just like your dad but now you have the beer in your hands.
And at the chime of midnight, you died of frostbite

You used to be poor
You were one of two siblings that lived in a house of without a father figure
Without your father, it was just you, mother and sister
You were able to eat because of the food stamps, that your mother collected
She cared for you and made sure you were protected
Until one day it all stopped
Your reign of poverty was finally dropped
Now you are the Robin Hood of the Silicon Valley

“Christians are more than twice as likely”
“To blame a person’s poverty”
Whether it be the “lack of effort”
Or because you should have done better
The non-believers say it didn’t work out your way
That the circumstances weren’t the best that day
That you deserve a second chance
That you don’t deserve just a first glance

When you know there is a wound
You know you need a stitch
There are people that are suffering
They have a nasty itch
There in debt, or have stress
They’re left inside a ditch
Don’t act like this is puzzling
Just cause you're filthy rich

Artist Statement

I chose poverty in my political issue in the poem. This is important to me, because poverty plays a big role in hunger, thirst, and other issues that take effect when someone doesn’t make enough money. A part of my family struggles with poverty, and I want to send a message to people, about different ways that people become poor, and that it isn't always there fault. Or that some people aren't getting the support they need to help themselves gain better lives. I used rhyme schemes mostly throughout the poem, but near the end had changed. I used anaphora for the beginning of every section.

One of the short stories that I wrote about,  was a woman named Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins. She wanted to help those in poverty to have better support. She graduated from California State University-Northbridge, and worked for the SEIU. In 2003, she became the head of the San Jose-based South Bay Labor Council, which has 110 unions and 110,000 members.