NOT FOR THE RICH Weekly Poem

NOT FOR THE RICH

The Daily Telegraph's highlighted the fact that tax paid by the rich

has increased in the last decade by 3% -- conveniently forgetting

that their share of wealth's increased by a far greater percentage.

Not for the rich a divvy freeze,

And no sign of austerity,

And not for them a ten-year squeeze,

When they've been down upon their knees;

But unabashed prosperity.

And not for them or all their brood,

Of whether they will have to choose,

Between themselves and kids for food,

Or some choice equally as crude;

Which one of them will have to lose.

And not for them to have to bitch,

And stay and pay the bedroom-tax,

For Corporations and the rich,

Acquiring wealth's reached fever-pitch;

As tax enforcement seems quite lax.

And not for them what seems a cheek,

Of borrowing to pay the rent,

And reaching the end of the week,

Where the outlook is still as bleak;

Without a single lousy cent.

And not for them the awful plight,

Of having men cut off the gas,

Or cutting down on heat and light,

To darken more their hopeless blight;

Or something equally as crass.

No, for the rich what brings a frown,

As it's their main priority,

Is stopping wealth from trickling down,

To the less gentle parts of town;

And the brainwashed majority!

© Richard Layton