Simple Horizons Poem by RoseAnn V. Shawiak

Simple Horizons

Rating: 5.0


Rights of all people are undermined by luxury and riches,
there is no possible reconciliation of the poor and rich.

We lament poverty while doing nothing to make it extinct.

In laps of luxury it's too easy to abhor and look down on
those with little or nothing.

Living a simple life in luxury is a contradiction, give
away everything and live in abject poverty.

See how quickly you'll want to grab it all back, how
tearfully you'll miss it's privileges, how unsimple your
life becomes.

Being born into a certain level of poverty - having enough
to live on - scrimping and making do.

Yet, having also experienced abject poverty where there is
no food or money to scrimp or make do.

Desperately wanting an end of life and it's horrid ways,
living in a one room shack - no rent money to be found -
lying awake in the dark - stomach aching from lack of food -
listening to a mother's cries.

It's the end of the road with no way to turn, burning
indelibly into a child's mind.

Turning fourteen, making eighty dollars every two weeks,
supporting a family of nine, getting a taste for money and
what it could buy.

Partially solving a mystery of life, poverty doesn't have
to stay throughout life.

Working, saving and scrimping - hope in a heart to soon be
rich.

Having more than enough money to live comfortably, reveling
in the peace of heart and mind.

Then getting married, having children, being thrown once
again into abject poverty.

Food stamps and general assistance lending a helping hand,
at what price though?

Self-esteem, ego, all crushed by the intrusive questions
and unreasonable demands imposed for their tiny atom of
help.

When one has nothing, life stares into your face - no
emotion - no feeling - eking out a mere existence for your
children.

All hope for self completely gone, intense hatred of wants
and needs exploding now from inner dimensions, flowing
crazily throughout each day, offering no hope or satisfaction.

No longer crawling on all fours, but sliding along the
ground on your belly, defeated and beaten - not caring for
life's promised shores.

All lies decayed on horizons of feckless hope, nothing to
be given or taken from this day forward.

Abject poverty has nothing in common with the simplicity
of life.

Only in the lap of luxury can anything of want be simple.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Topic(s) of this poem: poem
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Amitava Sur 09 May 2014

It is a testimony of unpleasant truth whose severity perhaps is not known or realized by many of us who never tested the bite of abject poverty. Once when the belly is burning with no shelter no dress, that life or that soul never bothers any ethics or ethos for self or society. 1) “ First let me live, then only others. “ 2) “ A hungry belly does not care scraps of foods or left over, It first feeds the hungry belly “ If we are human with humanity, we must stand by these destitute to bring them in the main stream. Thank you RoseAnn for this eye opener.

0 0 Reply
Kevin Patrick 08 May 2014

YES! the materialistic world has devalued our ability to think critically and objectively about the things we want and need! We live in a world of divisions the 1 percent and the 99, and its the 1 percent that have the American dream as a bait to wheal in the fish that think they have a chance. This was a nice written polemic, I like your style and the message that your writing keep up the great work!

0 0 Reply
Ramesh Rai 07 May 2014

Last line is much impressive and it is what Rajneesh. You must have read the books of Rajneesh.. we can not expect simplicity being in poverty. i hv written a poem The curse of poverty. but what about those who have become money making machine. Thanks for share. Regards.

0 0 Reply
Ramesh Rai 07 May 2014

Last line is much impressive and it is what Rajneesh. You must have read the books of Rajneesh.. we can not expect simplicity being in poverty. i hv written a poem The curse of poverty. but what about those who have become money making machine. Thanks for share. Regards.

0 0 Reply
Ramesh Rai 07 May 2014

Last line is much impressive and it is what Rajneesh. You must have read the books of Rajneesh.. we can not expect simplicity being in poverty. i hv written a poem The curse of poverty. but what about those who have become money making machine. Thanks for share. Regards.

0 0 Reply
READ THIS POEM IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Close
Error Success