Unemployment

By Elton Camp

Though so many debts are due

Jobs that pay well are so few.

Businesses are afraid to hire

One they might have to fire.

A major reason why:

People afraid to buy.

When sales are so weak,

There aren’t jobs to seek. 

There’s little enjoyment

Without good employment.

No money to spend?

Few will be a friend. 

It’s even hard to get a date

Suffering such terrible fate.

Want to have a loving spouse?

Must make payment on a house.

Courting won’t go far

Unless you have a car.

Might be fun to take a walk?

She most likely will then balk.

Take her out to dine

Must drink some wine.

Wedding bells unlikely to ring

When the date’s at Burger King.

And then yet another thing:

How’re you gonna buy a ring?

A diamond that’s a fake

She’ll not want to take.

Have a college degree?

Might add to the misery.

Could even have to hide

So not overqualified.

Student loans now are due.

Along with that, interest too.

Failure to pay is not allowed.

Got to do what you’ve vowed.

Experience is required

If you expect to be hired.

Surely you are a slob.

Never once had a job.

There is little more to say

You haven’t a good resume.

But what can you do

In this Catch-22?

Experienced you must be

If not never bother me.

I realize it’s not a bit fair,

But gets you outta my hair.

First time you ever go to bat

Have to ask, “Fries with that?”

Or rolling carts from parking lot

May be all the job you have got.

Insurance?  Not from here.

Doctor bills still to fear.

Too sick to come to work?

Then no pay, you lazy jerk.

Expect to get a company pension?

You’re from another dimension.

Work here till you’re old and gray.

We still want no retirement to pay. 

Recession’s over experts say

But still no job with good pay.

China’s where all things are made

None here need expect to be paid.

Making your job hunt go deeper?

Some immigrant will work cheaper.

Economic benefit will be low

Most pay goes back to Mexico.

Nutrition need not be a lack

Food stamps keep you on track.

But if out of this you’re beat,

You can always live on the street.

Garbage cans filled with scrap

Under a bridge take a nap.

When days grow far too cold,

Go to the shelter you are told.

Think this could never be?

“Nothing like this for me.”

Yet it can become too true

If there isn’t any work to do.