Monday, September 29, 2014


This is my first chapbook published in 1986.  I had to type it up, cut it up, paste it up and take it to Kinkos and make copies for the pages of the book.  The image is a drawing by Madelaine Enochs of a depression era photograph by Dorothea Lange. 



 

No Credit

No Credit
I’ve got no credit

they levied my account today
the IRS
took out all my money
can’t pay my bills
the money’s all gone
and I’m overdrawn

well then lady
you got no credit
can’t lend you no money
‘cause you got no credit

how come you don’t pay your taxes when due?

‘cause they’re too high
when you got babies
they’re too high

didn’t have no food
the day the taxes was due
so I used all the money
fed the babies instead

got no credit
and the baby got sick
took him to the doctor
and the doctor said
need my money today, lady
need my money today . . .

but

I haven’t got the money today
I said
I need help

You gotta job lady
you gotta W-2
no help for you
gotta be down and out
before the man
who pays the tax man
comes thru for you

maybe

business is good now
money comin’ in
pay the taxes every month
and the balance goes up

it’s penalty and interest
they say
I don’t send enough
their way

how do I get out of this mess? I ask
save save save my daddy said
save 10% says the book I read

Okay
okay
I will

business is slow now
snowed all day and the day before
gotta pay the rent
gotta pay for the heat

another baby’s comin’
can’t work all day
didn’t want my tubes tied
don’t want to suck it out
there’s gotta be another way

they levied my account again today
the IRS
took out all my money
how’d I get in this mess?

Is it too many babies?

Well I want to say
to the tas man
these babies aren’t
just for me

to the tax man
I want to say
in 25 years
when you’re old and gray
whose gonna change your bedpan?
©1986

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