Being Poor Poem by Cynthia Buhain-baello

Being poor is not a Right
To impose demands upon those
Who worked hard to better their plight
And to heights of wealth, they arose.

Being poor is not an Excuse
To expect some aid as if these are due
A debt that society cannot refuse
An obligation laid on me and you.

Being poor is the Mask of so many
Who would not face the challenge of life
Those who shirk from their Responsibility
Whose demands, when not met, cause strife.

Being poor is a Choice blindly taken
By those whose roots fail to stand,
Whose dependence on others just weakens
Their Dignity to Work with their hands.