The Downturn- a new poem
By cripfemme
@cripfemme (7698)
United States
October 17, 2008 5:08pm CST
Please critique!
The Downturn
(dedicated to May)
You are a single mother
working two jobs struggling
to survive yet another recession.
no official will admit.
During the week you run a daycare
gently guiding the next generation.
Every Friday through Sunday, you support me,
For an average of 18 hours a week
a fellow poet whose words you respect-
cleaning, typing, washing, talking.
On Friday,
you explain the price of gas
to this non-driver, saying one gallon
will mow your lawn once.
It costs $4 per mowing,
Including spark plugs, wear/tear, and what not.
You tell me you mow your lawn 56 times per year
skipping the winter months.
You spend $224 yearly
only to manicure grasses.
You make $8.78 an hour after taxes-
which average 19% per check-
and sacrifice almost a week and a half
of pay per year just to make your yard attractive
Bummer, bumper sticker , I aspire to place somewhere
on my wheelchair someday expounds
“When Bush took office gas was $1.46.”
Using today’s tax rates,
and accounting for your secondary profession’s
meager 72 cent total pay increase in nearly eight years;
I calculate that before the Bush regime took effect
It only costs approximately $112 a year to mow-
a 50 percent savings.
The writer in me wonders what this all means,
I haven’t figured it out yet, but I know
there’s a poem somewhere among sad facts.
1 response
@luvandpower (2048)
• United States
3 Dec 08
Godo poem, you show the true evil of the world, and show taht love is there, but is being tormented every day.

