or so they told

hard times hard lives

no money for nothin’

got said enough times

to make it sound real

where i found the truth

between the lines

is their having family cousins

brothers sisters aunts & uncles

all holding these hard times blues

working together to build

create a better place to be

when it came to me this burden

unwanted unloved step child

given nothin’ but nothin’

‘cept you made your bed boy

best you lay in it

come my hard times

no hands held out

saintly uncles to give advice

motherly aunt to be nice

my parents looking away

too caught up in their battles

with each other to look out

they acted surprised when

i moved a long way away

if we all knew bone deep

this was best for me

& a whole lot easier for them