Shame

She came from a broken home
where quarters were diamonds
and her parents were split into two different classes
Each class taught her the same,
there's shame in asking for help.

This shame-
dirty as the coins she would dig up
shines like a new penny in a world of want for nothing.
She's covered in copper worth
as taught by the cents-less lessons of her parents.


She's in a recession that began at birth
Taught that this rot, deep down
means she's not good enough.
Somewhere she didn't try hard enough,
that when things got rough-
she needed to be even stronger.


Today, she digs up those coins, digs up the shame
and spreads them across the counter
counting
her blessings that today she is not on the streets
and while her parents refuse to show defeat
she's doing it on her own.
This has humbled her,
this little girl,
now grown and full of self-worth.