Poverty Is Poison, So Is Corruption Poem by Perdita Young (Hanna Wang)

Poverty is a mother of intense grief,
It exposes one to unspeakable shame:
The lack of Bread has made many a thief,
To which the well-fed may listen in disbelief.

Poverty is a sullen source of foaming poison,
It can take away voice and silence words——
Hierarchy reduces the less lucky into nerds,
Numbing and darkening life, as damned prison...

Yet Poverty is no sin; it's not a sin, after all,
And far better than shame death on the straw.
An easy conscience keeps the dignity divine,
By which one can sleep well and wait to shine.

Scorn to those who grease palms and sell influence,
They draw guffaws and made world a nuisance place.
They stain the corridors of many an honorable Hall,
Like hookers, for money they bawl and brawl.

Oct.12th,2009.
- - - - - - - - - -

Chinese Translation:

贫穷如毒药，堕落亦是

贫穷会导致深切的忧伤与不幸，
让人置身难以言喻的羞愧之中：
多少人为了生计沦为盗贼小偷，
对于饱食的人这也许难以置信。

贫穷是毒药，阴郁愠怒，冒着气泡，
它夺走人的声音，使得人难有言笑；
等级，把背运的人们变得呆滞讨厌，
使人生喑哑灰暗，该死的监狱一般。

然而，贫穷不是罪过，它不是过错，
比之堕落后的哀告求饶，要好的多。
问心无愧的良心，能保住神圣尊严，
好良心保证好睡眠，凭此把前途兑换。

对行贿和贩卖权力之人尽可表示轻蔑，
他们的丑态是笑柄，让世界变得可厌。
他们沾污多少荣誉的殿堂尊贵的门厅，
为金钱尔虞我诈吵嚷不休，像群娼贩。