Sometimes, It's So Funny, It Hurts...

Lint in These Pockets

a jest

I’m in a bind.

I’m overstressed, but can’t afford

no damn chain smoking.

A lack of funds has severed my fun.

It has, pretty much, left me

broke….

I know, I know, that’s not correct,

the proper word should be broken.

But I can’t afford the n

on the end of that.

I applied for a loan….so I’m hoping.

But it’s hard holding on to hope,

when having no dollars

is making no sense.

Had to spend electric bill money

just to cover the mortgage, so

now I can’t even vent.

Spending all this time

chasing a dime, when I owe a quarter

to somebody else.

Debts rising, prices rising

and money always out of reach.

It’s a damn shame, this strain being broke has me under,

where 1+1

is only 2 of the 10

that I was supposed to pay last week.

And I was good at math, but this ain’t adding up,

only working to owe, and living to pay.

I got a better chance of getting struck by lightning

than enjoying my 401k.

Hell, jobs keep disappearing and they keep

arguing over what’s going to fix the economy, instead of actually rebuilding.

That’s why I fear I’ll need to get a negative sign

before I ever get to see my first million.

But I don’t want pawn off my son’s future

just so I can afford to live today.  Digging through

lint in these pockets, just to find a dollar,

so I can pay back enough to

borrow another day.

It’s crazy, this vicious cycle of treading

debt infested waters so you don’t have to drown,

only to feel yourself sinking deeper, and knowing

the lifeguard’s nowhere to be found.

I want to take financial swimming lessons,

dive in oceans of wealth and never come up for air.

Besides, you know the houses in rich neighborhoods:

the water’s always better over there.

The grass is a bit greener and the air much cleaner.

Don’t get me wrong, they have problems that need dealing with,

but it’s not

scraping up enough to cover last month’s bills,

on top of trying to fix other shit.

So I’m in this bind.  I’m

overstressed, just

biding my time, trying my best.

I got to get to the other side.

The other side of this poverty line