Sewer-Rat Sentiments

When every ounce of
all you hold precious
begins to
rust like
"under-resourced"
men's tin roofs
and all your memories are but
floating along
the slum area
streets
towards the sewage
amidst another
frightening
flash flood

When all your aches
and woes
resurface with
all the time you've spent
wallowing instead of solving and
you realize
too late how
right now
you are
repeating the same
sick cycle
and that cynical is
the only way you
know how
to cope
to kill
your dreams
your soul

When each day is a
reminder of
how poor you'll always be
in your reflection
and
in your heart
your will
to live is
about as sturdy as
your salvaged
re-stitched school
uniform
begging to be
let go at last
and fast
you know you're dying
or lying
to drop out
anyway