Little fingers fumble

with a zipper too big.

Crayons scattered across

papers full of scribbles.

Get ready.

Books to be read

math to be mastered.

Life marches across

my little one's life.

Get ready.

Time passes too fast

she's on her own.

Dreams to come true

Goals must be met.

Get ready.

I gave her my

best of all I had.

I'm here for her

questions that will arise.

Get ready.

******************************************************************************************

Rodeo Drive clothes

clad the folks

you meet wearing

what is left of

your Wal-Mart rags.

The so-called good

life is never

known as

Free-for-all.

Fancy steaks with

big fat shrimp

is smelled from the

trash can lid you

call your plate.

The so-called good

life is never

known as

Free-for-all.

Education abounds at

the big universities as

you earn your needed

degree from School of

the Streets where you live.

The so-called good

life is never

known as

Free-for-all.

Families play at

the park swinging on

swings and sitting on

the benches on which

you make your nightly bed.

The so-called good

life is never

known as

Free-for-all.

Newspaper ads tells

of jobs that wait

for the willing who

are dressed just right and

just might fit the part.

The so-called good

life is never

known as

Free-for-all.

The way up exists

out of your reach

as troubles push you

down so low and

further past the bottom.

The so-called good

life is never

known as

Free-for-all.

The system forgets those

who will try to crawl

their way beyond their

present circumstances that

are without a dime to spare.

The so-called good

life is never

known as

Free-for-all.

Learn more about this author, Emma Riley Sutton