MisS CLARKE

Miss

You always look

Suave, flash

And very smart

But honey

You never have cash

You spend it hard

Maxed out

Your credit cards

Run out of money

You can't ask dad

For any more

So raid

The piggy bank

Take an axe

Smash the penny jar

For any loose change

Now, you know when

Batman changes

To Bruce Wayne

He takes off his cape

Strapped mask

And black garb

You’ll have

To do the same

Take off

Your tiara

And say “Ta-ra!”

To your fortune

Amassed

In centuries past

And then attend

Budgeting groups

Finance class

And seminars

Yeah, you got stocks

And shares

On NASDAQ

But that won’t cover

The fast cars, handbags

Expensive art

The Giotto's

And Rothko's

You're broke

You shop most

At Costco

No more

Luxury trips

To Moscow

And Stockholm

Just stuck at home

A lost soul

Almost had

A suicide attempt

At the moment

You were dead

Or due to die

You said, 

“Who am I to end

My existence?

Even though it was

A very fruitless life

I had never grown up

I remained a petty

Ruthless child

All I cared about

Was selfish ambition 

A steady, gruelling climb

To reach the heady

Roofless heights

Of high society”

Then, in your head

A bulb and light

Switched on

And you

Were reminded

That you still had

A few treasures left

An heirloom valued

And priced, at millions

A slice

Of inheritance

An aunt

On your dad’s side

Was American

She left you paintings

From the

Sizeable collection

Of Peggy Guggenheim

You could

Make a bit extra

By selling every

Jewel that shines

From your necklaces

Then what’s next

Is to decide

To exchange

The Moet

& Hennessy

For cheap sherry

Frugal wine

Bought at the

Discount store

Just until

The inheritance

Money comes through

Then you know

You’ll eventually

Resume with pride

That indulgent lifestyle

Saying,

“I can buy anything

In the world I fancy

Maybe Cinderella’s

Crystal slippers

Oh yes, a princess’s

Shoes are nice!”

Cinderella met

Her prince

But when will you

Ms. Clarke

Meet your own

Handsome man

Dressed in

Suit and tie?

But marriage

Is the last thing

On your energetic

Youthful mind

Cause who wants

To be a kept

And dutiful wife?

Boring

You’d rather be

Jetting through

The skies

From destination

To destination

Spending currency

In every country

For you, a lesson

Won’t be learnt

Even when you reach

The edge or point

Of no return

However

Consider yourself

Damned lucky

If you ever file

For bankruptcy

Cause at least then

You’ll know

The true value of life

And money!