America Can’t Afford Itself

We are heading into another depression in less than 100 years. Something has got to give.

They raise the price of bread and rice,
Then tell us all to “sacrifice”
As if the people barely fed, 
Can stretch one meal for days instead

The carts grow smaller every week,
While tired parents hide and weep
Two incomes used to build a home,
Now still are not enough alone

The fridge hums loud with little there,
A hollow sound of quiet despair
Fresh fruit and greens cost twice as much,
While junk food is within our touch 

And healthy living, doctors preach,
Feels far beyond the poor man’s reach
“Just eat well,” the wealthy say,
While others skip another day

The rent climbs higher every year,
And wages freeze in place from fear
We work ourselves to brittle bone,
Yet cannot buy what we have grown

Food pantries fill with working hands,
Not laziness - but broken plans
People with jobs and sleepless nights,
Still losing all despite the fight

Greed sits high in towers of gold,
Counting profits bought and sold
While families pray the lights stay on,
And wonder where the hope has gone

It feels like cracks beneath our feet,
A slow collapse on every street
Not all at once - but day by day,
As dignity gets priced away

And somewhere deep, we all can feel,
This cannot stay, this is too real
A nation cannot stay alive,
When people work - but can’t survive 

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If you enjoyed this poem, please check out more work from myself, and others, at www.chaoticrambling.com

I would love for you to check out my recently published book, “Between Then and Now”, a collection of 60 poems written between the ages of 15 and 39, it’s currently being sold at Amazon. It’s also available on kindle unlimited.

Stay tuned for my book “Between Now and Hope.” It will be released sometime this spring. It’s a collection of poems that focus on making this world a better place.

Thank you for taking the time to read my words.