Touching the future
Noble and honorable profession
Making a difference in the life of a child

yeah, great
but what about having a life of my own

i remember standing in line for government cheese
WIC checks and food stamps in order to eat
and feed my baby boy
drowing in debt to pay for diapers and rent
blisters on my feet from walking everywhere i went

but i struggled i worked i read i learned
i got that degree
i tested i wrote i interviewed i learned
i got that certification
and then they tell me the cycle will continue
take more classes
you need these hours
try for a higher degree
try for a national certification
make us look better for all your hard work
oh, and we'll throw in a few pennies
for your million dollar effort
ok i can live with that
because i love these kids

fast foward
third year of teaching
i still don't have a car
my student loans are choking me
there's no way to afford rent in a decent place
and remember that baby boy
he can't have a birthday party this year
and i'm back in line for food stamps
but now
they tell me i make too much money
so maybe i can't live with it
because i can't make a life
and so i guess the knowlege and the love
isn't worth a damn thing to the state
who now pays me too little to survive
while denying me benefits to allow me to eat

but, i apologize
it's wrong of me to complain
that might look bad for the profession

11/13/2003

Posted on 11/13/2003
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