Dearth was my mentor – I quickly learned
To make do with the crumbs we had
I stood by foreign to every passing fad
As living costed more than we earned
I learned it made no sense to insist
When No was all they could afford
We all left home and moved abroad
To earn the better life we missed
Grief was my friend – I’ve quickly grown
To be the person who I am today
Without a purpose in life I stray
Away from the path I’ve always known
Growing up poor you grow frustrated
With what you can’t afford in life
Hardship austerity and strife
Is what you reap when you’re ill-fated
I’ve been raised with my parents’ fears
The fear of homelessness and thirst
Into being submissive I’ve been coerced
By the adversity of my formative years.
May 2018