the rich

the rich
want to be tanned
and thin,
or very pale
and thin.
rarely in between.
they want
the look of having
been somewhere.
to have
that refreshed
and happy
look of
too much time
and money on
their hands.
photographs are
not quite
good enough.
they need oil
paintings to capture
this look.
large family
portraits,
with dogs
on the beach,
blue skies,
cotton clouds,
smiling wide
with white teeth,
all the whiter
by their golden
sun baked lives.