Austerity Cuts Never Miss A Main Artery When You’re Poor

by Paul Tristram / December 8th, 2019

She’s only seven years old
and should be in school a-learning…
but, the missus gets
twice the money begging
when she’s at her side.
Chelsea’s been her best friend
for the last eighteen months now,
they met, out of familiarity,
in the one of the Food Bank queues.
What kind of life
is this for a young child?
What kind of life
is it for any poor bleeder?
I’ll leave the harsh judging
of such important matters
to the warm and well-fed,
with the luxury of time
upon their comfortable hands
to point fingers at less fortunates.
Me? I’m far too sodding busy
up to my neck in poverty,
and keeping us, just about, surviving.

Paul Tristram is a widely published Welsh writer who deals in the Lowlife, Outsider, and Outlaw genres.  He wrote his first poem as a teenager following his release from the (Infamous) Borstal ‘HMP Portland’, and he has been creating Literary Terrorism ever since. Read other articles by Paul, or visit Paul's website.

This article was posted on Sunday, December 8th, 2019 at 8:03am and is filed under Poetry.