We Fear to be Poor Again.

Sometimes we fear what people may do
When we brag,
When things go too well for us.
Our hearts sink at the thought
Of falling again after having risen.
People who knew us
When we were poor will laugh
If we become poor again;
His wealth was just a flash in the pan,
They would say.
That is why we fear
When we check our pockets
To find coins instead of notes;
When we check our stores
To find empty bags of cereal;
When we check our toilets
To find tablets of soap used up,
Then we know we must fear
And fear indeed.
Tomorrow may make us poor again;
Our friends will despair again
Our enemies will rejoice again
We will go begging again.
O God -
Teardrops fill our eyes,
Our knees knock,
Our hearts are weak and melting;
Will we be poor again?
Those supercilious faces
Looking down on us as they
Hand down their charities -
Take this for supper
And that for tomorrow.
Do you have any beans left?
I bought you some onions;
Try out these jeans,
There - they fit you just nicely.
Now do this task for me,
I am too tired.
If these days come again -
I despair to think of them -
I think I cannot bear it
I just might faint.