Poverty Poor People: Knuckle Bones Society Cast Poem by Terence George Craddock

life mirrors illusions mysteries
human interest has fickle histories
time plots age altering memories

our future is time born in past opportunities
we grow through changing experiences realities
silver spoon plastic spoon cast expectations

by what inherent right does a butterfly freedom fly?
earned pupa chrysalis cell transformation past must die?
caterpillar crawled survived spun silk to touch the sky?

a common butterfly flutters past
people notice staggering flight
so small so easily seen followed

but people poor are sight ignored
the poor are discarded stepped around
the poor are unworthy of thought

isolated in filth, in rags,
in squalor pitiful stupor
in numbing cold,

fear freezing dark,
crawls chills pipe spinal chords
echoes in cosmopolitian shadows

under desolate abandoned bridges
beneath garbage infested overpasses
cluster citizens bin burning tyres

the wash-outs,
the no hopers
drug addicts

loser thieves,
isolated scapegoats
or cause of crime?

selected unwanted castouts
sentenced crime criminals
of our caring prodigal society?

how did they stone fall
so far from loving comfort
of their mother's womb?

if we do not learn love compassion mercy
storybook time absorbing at a mother's knee
broken home realities hold future shadows


Copyright © Terence George Craddock