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