RICH AND RICHER
Here is the heart of the matter:
One percent get fatter
while children starve.
Their parents are
stark-stricken with guilt.
We 99ers built this country,
White indentured servants;
Black slaves who gave all and
all they got was, “Y’all are lazy,
yer not even worth
one whole person.”
They nursed hope anyway.
The Rich are the sons
and grandsons of men with
ideas but the DNA diluted.
Ever see a xerox of a xerox of
a xerox? Sometimes that’s called
Mister President.
The Rich of today
have never worked
or earned their money.
They play Monopoly
using real people as
little game pieces.
They play the game of Life
using worthless mortgages
as cash for their bank.
They don’t play chess.
That game takes work.
Effort is not their style.
© 2012 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
For ABC Wednesday, brought to you by the letter “R.” Also posted at Poets United, my poetic sanctuary.
Sharp Little Pencil 
El Guapo
Again, your pencil cuts to the quick.
Yet all too often, we 99 let them do it.
Sharp Little Pencil
Guapo, the abysmal turnout for most elections is indicative of the general malaise of the American public. I’m an activist, and sometimes I feel like I’m spitting in the wind… Amy
Carver
Thoughtful piece for the R theme. Happy Weekend! Carver, ABC-Wed. Team
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Carver, and best to you and ABC! Amy
Roger Green
Amy – too subtle. How do you REALLY feel?
Sharp Little Pencil
Yeah, Roger, I agree. I simply didn’t have the right words to extrapolate how much I resent one percent of the country owning my ass!!
thbthttt
My sentiments exactly! Well done. My ABC Wednesday this week comes from a time when I once rubbed shoulders with the 1% and was seldom impressed.
Sharp Little Pencil
Intriguing name, sounds like Lily Tomlin after she said, “And that’s the truth” on Laugh-In! Thanks for commenting, and thanks for leaving a URL so I can catch up with your blog. Peace, Amy
thbthttt
Well done! My sentiments exactly. My ABC Wednesday, coincidentally, comes from a time when I occasionally rubbed shoulders with the 1% and was seldom impressed.
Sharp Little Pencil
OH, yeah, I was a jazz singer and used to haul my glittery butt into the enclaves of the super-rich. Vacuous people. Saw someone butt out his cigarette on a Rodin statue owned by… well, anyway, I told the person who owned the place that I was leaving. And I did. Noveau Riche, money don’t buy class!
Hannah Gosselin
SO true on SO many levels, excellent, Amy. I love the bit about the xerox, great metaphor! Smiles!
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Hannah. You know me, always thinking about the little guys… like us! Amy
purplepeninportland
Perfect analogy, Amy. You rule!
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, you’re PIP!! A
kaykuala
The 99%ers have to fight to survive. It’s the same anywhere in the world. The lucky few of 1%er would not allow encroachment into their domains. They enjoy life, spending and not working. Their forefathers were clever in making money why should others worry they reason. There is a saying though that the first generation made money for the third generation to squander. Many true cases on this! Great write Amy! Another thought provoking post!
Hank
Sharp Little Pencil
Hank, I appreciate your insights. It’s true that inherited wealth is a curse on the entire American populace. Look at Sam Walton’s kids – 4 out of the top 10 richest people in America, and they don’t do squat.
brian miller
strong…love the socio-political message you send…it si a sad state in which we live right now and the stats have been so skewed as well because of the working poor that dont make enough…it makes me rather sick you know…what to do what to do…
any idea why i am no longer getting updates when you post?
Sharp Little Pencil
So you subscribe to my blog with the little box up top? If you go through FB, I sometimes forget to open that before posting… Sorry! A.
Pamela Smyk Cleary
Oh, isn’t that the truth?! Keep wondering where it will end…?
Sharp Little Pencil
When we get our butts off our couches, turn off all the corporate news, start tuning in or streaming Ed Schultz, Rachel Maddow, and Randi Rhodes, and get some balance… of course, I listen to Rush too, so I’ll recognize the talking points. Then I ask, “How did you arrive at that conclusion?” and they get mad because, after all, they ARE quoting the Tea Party Gospel.
Even the president is disappointing. He signed legislation empowering him to shut down whole sites on the Net, as well as re-upping the Patriot Act. We need to speak as one voice and say, ‘HELL NO!’
How’s that for an idea? LOL Amy
zongrik
the end is really good, they don’t play chess cuz it’s too much work, what would it be if they were playing 3D chess, Mr. Spock style? or Chess like in Harry Potter Sorcerer’s Stone??
Sharp Little Pencil
Or Quidditch? Or any of the bizzaro games they play on “The Big Bang Theory,” one of my favorite shows? Lord, I don’t think half of them could make it through anything other than Monopoly!
Lindy Lee
Another terrific poetic statement…
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks so much, Lindy. My friends say, “Don’t hold back, Ame, tell us how you really feel!”