»
Archives
»
Open Poetry #22
»
Drowning In America
| Open Poetry #22 |
|
Drowning In America |
|
|
D.Lester Young Senior Member
since 2001-12-08
Posts 1219Austin, Tx |
The land of opportunity Retirements are drowning in such deep sorrow Loosing billions, Middle America weeps Losses which cannot be deducted from incomes For it is tax deferred from accountability But penalized so bad if you retrieve it To keep from living in welfare A 401 program that have been accounted for To a 50 percent devaluation of the dollar Creative funding that has build mansions And bought respect from cash cow politicians Now everyone says they are doing more for less For they only have less than 30 percent to deal with A company paid retirement is probably gone From the losses of asbestos lawsuits For the money paid out in legal claims Will send the funds into a fairy tales And instead of future profits They will rob the future of its ex-employees So Mr. Vice President we are to trust you Look what you have as a role model You have paid years into social security They say that it will go bankrupt When you will really need it And your payout will go For pennies for the dollar Savings have dwindled in taxes Because as poor Americans We can not afford oversea tax shelters And have to pay taxes on interest That does not keep up with inflation So in the land of opportunity We get 40 cents on the dollar And get taxed for the privilege Of a land so blessed that politicians Now say it is the American way You must now climb the mountain And reap the privilege of creative accounting With bonuses for losing money Hiding everything in secret accounts Made from employee and stock holders hopes In all honesty look what politicians have created A land where we slave for a future That is increasingly profitable for others So we now must work ourselves into our graves Having to pay fees of this opportunity While they figure out a way to charge a toll To get past heaven’s gate into the only area That truly offers total relieve For that welfare system is in gifted hands And will never go bankrupt Thought: I will be chastised as un-American for using my right of free speech to use words to express the frustration with many here with their futures put in jeopardy by political and corporate frauds in accountability. Some will tear me up and say I am a troublemaker but when has it become wrong to question our policies in a democratic union. In my words that investigate the worst in our country come from that heart of a man that loves it so. For in questioning responsibility of the actions of our leaders is a Constitutional right, even if the means to do it are increasingly controlled by the media and groups that promote for themselves, stifling dissent. Question, in all honesty would you raise your child in the morals of some of today’s leaders? If you said yes, then this country is doomed, for it is our children that will have to live in this mess in the poverty that no retirement can satisfy. Thought: When did it become so wrong to speak out and not accept things as perfect, when in truth this is a great mirage!! Comments are welcome email me at [email protected]. D.Lester Young (08/29/02) Tuscaloosa, AL Copyright © D.Lester Young (White Eagle poetry) |
||
| © Copyright 2002 David Lester Young - All Rights Reserved | |||
|
doreen peri Member Elite
since 1999-05-25
Posts 3812Virginia |
hey!! great phrase, "creative accounting"!! listen, you don't have to apologize for your thoughts on anything. political and social commentary make for powerful topics in poetry. you think people will berate you for being "unAmerican" for this piece? hell, if any American does that, then they'd be unAmerican because that's what America's all about, as you said... speaking out.. and not only that, that's one of the main job of the Poet..... to present Truths.... thank you for this piece!... you covered the topic well and with a good amount of appropriate frustration and honesty.... i like that in a poet |
||
|
RSWells Member Elite
since 2001-06-17
Posts 2533 |
You certainly won't be chastised by me. This country has changed to a place of peeling paint, empty storefronts and average folk nursing along older cars. These same salt of the earth Americans who proudly display their flags while the barons of energy (read pollution) and deceit live large. A war on a handful of terrorists, soon exhausted will be rejuvenated to include an old Bush enemy, Saddam and just in time for a sorrowful anniversary indeed. A needed reproach this. Poets lead the way! [This message has been edited by RSWells (08-29-2002 08:52 AM).] |
||
|
Zall Member
since 2002-08-25
Posts 214London, England |
Think you got it bad, Try living in the UK, Same SH*T, No Sunshine! |
||
|
|
⇧ top of page ⇧ |
|
| All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format. | ||
