Always Swindled But Never Poor Poem by RIC BASTASA

papa may be that dumb
but he was never poor.
papa may have been cajoled
and defrauded perhaps because
he allowed it in the name of
charity and need.
he may have given much
and did not take that much
but he was never deprived
he may have thrown a feast
to the ungrateful
but that was his own unselfish
decision.
we may have given him our
own anger
and even shared a little humiliation
but he was never deprived of
love and adoration.

he was thrown to mud
but we took him from there
and bathed him
and made him wear those
decent clothes again.

he died and prayers were said.
we thought we will not miss him.
but we did, not for long,
until we all have outgrown him.

in his tomb, it is written,
"always swindled, but never poor"