LIFE Poem: What Poverty Is, by Dominique Tabug

Poverty
Isn’t the story they sell you.
It’s not just the guy on the street
with a sign and stare.
It’s your neighbor who turns off the lights early
to save on the bill.
It’s the kid in class
who’s always never hungry at lunch.

It’s working two jobs
and still falling short.
It’s being told
“just work harder”
by people who’ve never had to choose between groceries or gas.

It’s shame that whispers,
not screams.
Struggles hidden by wide smiles.
Hope stretched thin
like the paycheck
fully spent
before it even came.

But poverty isn’t weakness.
It’s survival in slow motion.
It’s power in worn-down shoes.
And we’re done pretending
this is normal.

Author: poetryfest

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