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Showing posts with label money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label money. Show all posts

Friday, May 30, 2014

MINIMUM WAGE

I didn't find it in the help wanted pages,
a friend who’d worked there gave me a tip.
Call them up, they need workers for a crew,
hired on, ready to work, we started in June.

Painting tables and poles in the hot sun,
3.35 an hour, I remember the first check.
At 18, I was strong, never wanted to quit,
saving for college, tuition was due soon.

We loaded trucks with tents, chairs and stages
hit the road with the men on my very first run.
Excited to be in Delaware, Philadelphia, A.C.
long hours, time and a half made it opportune.

The education it gave me was one for the ages,
don’t stop, you’re finished when the work is done.


Saturday, May 11, 2013

THE BROKEN HOME



The fuse box was flickering, it needed updating.
The faucet came off the sink, it needed changing.
The light switch snapped, it needed doctoring.
The cord of the fan came out, it needed rewiring.
The kitchen window cracked, it needed replacing.
The heater stopped working, it needed refurbishing.
The water meter was inaccurate, it needed correcting.
The cable was always pix-elating, it needed upgrading.
The slop sink had a crack in it, it needed mending.
The hot water heater was leaking, it needed patching.
The sewer line was clogged again, it needed snaking.
The wiring wasn't up to code, it needed revamping.
The cabinets were stained, they needed refacing.
The closets were cluttered, they needed reorganizing.
The hinges came off the gate, they needed tightening.
The living room was uninviting, it needed redecorating.
The dining room was full of ants, it needed spraying.
The wood floors were scratched, they needed polishing.
The furnace was the original, it needed removing.
The fence slats began to rot, they needed mending.
The landscaping looked messy, it needed revitalizing.
The mailbox fell off the rail, it needed re-affixing.
The lawn was full of bare spots, it needed reseeding.
The weeds grew in the patio's cracks,they needed pulling.
The driveway was cracking, it needed resealing.
The front porch was gray and aging, it needed painting.
The storm door was sagging, it needed adjusting.
The siding was moss covered, it needed power washing.
The shingles were aged and worn, it needed re-roofing.
The costs rose and the bills piled up, it was never ending.
The family’s bank account emptied, they needed lending.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

AMERICAN DREAM



they always said how you need to buy a house,
a big deduction, it’ll never lose its value, besides
paying rent is just like throwing your money away.

high mortgage, a home not worth what we paid,
property taxes go up every year, too many repairs
just keep taking all the money that we both make.

Now we look forward to the apartment we’ll rent.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

TWO YEARS PASSED



before I called an electrician.
Tired of fumbling with keys,
trying fit it into the door knob.
Tired of eating in the dark and
hearing too many complaints.

I put it off as long as I could,
no one likes spending money.
Now lights shine brightly by
both doors, a ceiling fan hangs
above the dining room table.

The outlet in my son’s room
is updated for 3 prong plugs.
No more tape over his switch.
They spent all afternoon here,
two men working on the list.

With more money, it would've
been longer, 60 year old homes
always need something fixed.
In a few years, I might call them
to come back to finish the list.