Barefoot

This is nothing to be ashamed of
Her mother used to say
This abject poverty is
not our fault
Oh yes it is
She protested
and complained
and cried
Because her feet are
sore from walking
barefoot
since she lost her
years old shoes
She hollered and stomped
against the decaying
posts of their dilapidated
home
She wailed and wailed
like the siren of the ambulance
speeding on the street
She thought:
Were they rushing to save a life,
soon they will save me instead