Wealthy

I was raised
In a wealthy
Family despite
Our lack of money
Since we had books
Read to us at lunch on
The screened back porch
And to read plus Scientific
American, magazines like
National Geographic or
Newspapers books or
Radio and car trips to
Historical sites and
Parks. We ate at
One table all of
Us together
Talking to
Each one
Of us.
We
Were poor
In terms of cash
But wealthy in culture
Learning about literature
Art and classical music plus
Show tunes and the jazz of
Broadway Gershwin Porter
Rogers Hammerstein we
Learned to use the city
Libraries as an oasis
All with patched
Clothes. Mend
Sew stitch all
Learned on
The job
As kids
Back
In the 40s
50s 60s each
Decade a wealth
Of family and friends
Who read and conversed.
My mother was the daughter
Of a Jewish physician, my father
A hardshell Baptist son of a
Coal miner and farmer and
Both survivors of the Great
Depression they picked
Presbyterian as half
Way between since
It had both guilt
And Jesus tho
I went to the
Local rabbi
For second
Opinions
About
Poverty
And wealth.
He talked but
Would glance at
Me sideways as I was
Never bar mitzvahed perhaps
Seeing me as an anathema-tition.
We were lucky kids to have
Such a relatively happy
If hard-worked life
Growing up
Wealthy.