May 28, 2010: “Rich man, poor man,” by Connie Harrington

Hungry for him would be an understatement
Clothing for him is fortuitous
I see the rich man cries sometimes
Yet the poor man laughs once in a while
So why is the rich man always crying?
And the poor man is always smiling.

Is it luck, choice or just an accident
That the poor man can’t simply have a glass of water
But the rich man is complaining about his cheap wine
And wakes up to complain about his cold coffee
The poor man wakes up and thanks God for letting him see the light.

Rich man cries what to wear, the Gucci or Versace?
While the poor man picks up the same coat he used as a pillow last night
There goes the TV with the latest news
Off goes the poor man, to maybe find a newspaper someone threw away
Off goes the Blackberry like a school bell obnoxiously filling the inbox.

Oh maybe the poor will have some change left to make a phone call
After feeding his stomach that is growling like a beast
No change. No food thus no phone call
Is it luck or just an accident?
They say life is a roller coaster, well he must be stuck
Fairy tell, is what he hopes for.

His hope is what keeps him going
His faith is what keeps him strong,
The poor man prays every night,
That a miracle won’t take long.

— Connie Harrington is a student at Cloud County Community College.