ECONOMY Poem: The Economy of Love, by Babatunde Adeleke

I found a girl, five foot three,
voice a tremble, off-key melody,
but sweet, like wind through tired trees.
She danced through luxury stores, sang in
queues, and made the world hush. I had
my heart, but not much cash,so I stayed
in shadows, swallowed by receipts, alone.
Love, priced out. Affection isn’t tax-free.
They say diamonds last forever—get her one.
But diamond is just carbon; pressed and
punished. We are carbon too. We are
love shaped by pressure. Yet the tills
don’t ring for soft hands, for poor
men who feel deeply. She left.
The world applauded silence.
We are the prize, not what
we can buy. But no one
wants a broke flame.
No spark. Just
longing.

Author: poetryfest

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