most people

most people have never stood

in an unemployment line,
or a breadline,

or at the door of the pawn shop
holding a watch

or a toaster oven.
most people have never tasted
meat
out of a can heated
up over

a barrel of fire,
or slept in the woods, or felt
the rain
down to their bones

as they hitch hiked
out of town, going nowhere
in particular.

most have people never stood at the
window
waiting for the mailman
to bring a government check
to cover
the electricity, the water,
the gas.

they don't know what powdered
milk tastes like,
or week old
bread,
or meat gone bad, with
the green trimmed away.

most people have never looked at
their bank statement
and have seen a row of zeros,
or had a check
bounce,

or collected change
between the cushions
of their couch to go find
food, any food.

most people never felt the cold
at night,
or heat when summer
arrives. lying their in their
own sweat
waiting for God

to wave a magic wand.

most people.