i overheard them
con-ver-sating,
a note of superiority
had been struck..
dropping catch words
like sustainable,
free range, organic,
locally grown, and such..
and i could tell
from the tone of
their voices,
they had thought
about it, a lot..
about how elevated
above the masses
their pallets had become
and how their
cutting edge
elitist eating
set them
oh, so high above-
the impoverished single mother
struggling to feed her kids
in whose apparent
ignorance
still chose? to fill
their hungry bellies
with mac and cheese
and pork-n-beans
and (gasp) a couple of
cool ranch doritos….
Posted for Chelsea Ann Owen’s Terrible Poetry Contest call for poetry with a moral.
Thru Violet's Lentz 
love the repetitions and the cadence of your poem. and of course the reality you highlight
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Thank you, Gina.
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That is a lifestyle most people cannot afford. I once bought organic cherries at the grocery store before I knew the price, and when I found out at the cashier, my jaw dropped and I wanted to return it, but since it was the only item I was buying and there was a line behind me, I was too embarrassed and bought it anyway. Your writing really brings back memories. I stay away from the organic section now.
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Thank you for your input Cubby. This whole mentality makes me very uncomfortable.
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There will always be an elitist mentality in a commercial society where price discrimination (selling practically the same product to different socioeconomic groups) exists. Why else is the bottled water market so robust? It is a sad reality but unavoidable in capitalistic societies.
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Violet, I don’t think you could ever write terrible poetry. Your mind resists the thought. I like this. Perhaps because the message resonates.
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And I like that the message resonates with you, Len. I like to think I am not the only one that thinks that the food one can afford to eat is not acceptable criteria for moral judgment. Thank you for joining in the conversation.
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This does resonate so well, different income classes, the struggle to feed ourselves, it can get a bit too finicky with some people, going to extremes when the same food can be had much cheaper and as nourishing, same nutrients. Eating well can be had as well when we know where to shop to bargains. Health food stores are highly priced. Food chain stores are not offering all these so called healthy, organic, pure foods at much lower prices. It is all a choice with the means we have on hand. Practical or over the top finicky.
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I just eat sensibly, which includes staying within my financial constraints as much as it does nourishing my body. Thank you so much for your input, Helene.
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This subject really, REALLY burns my dog-hide. A couple years ago a study came out that showed in terms of calories per dollar, a Big Mac was one of the best things you could buy in any restaurant. I bought a book called “Good and Cheap” to support people on foodstamps, since the money went towards giving the cookbook to those who were on a foodstamp supplement – then I found out EVERYTHING took hours to make even though the title did fulfill its promise. World isn’t made for upward mobility, no matter what they say.
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Thank you for the voice of those of us who believe in people over produce
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You messaged me in response to a poem I wrote. “I’m seldom jealous”, you said. I should think not! And you have no reason to envy my poetry. I think the only reason you do is because I happen to have written a poem that you might have – had you walked in my shoes. I believe that you have the same passion for words that I do; for the sounds of them and the way they feel. Between you and me, it’s unusual for me to find poetry that I like, but I like yours; it’s divine.
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I AM jealous that you wrote that and not me! I do lots of expository writing and I love reading it when it’s written in blood. The paper pig bleeds. Oh that’s right your from the UK… I mean this as the utmost compliment! 😊
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powerful writing … the super foods have outpriced themselves and sadly the junk food is cheaper …
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Thank you for the excellent links!
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welcome!
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A few Doritos never hurt nobody. 🙂 Great poem, as usual.
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Thank you, Chelsea.
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It seems to me we are born with an impulse to rank ourselves superior or inferior to other humans. We do it almost the instant we meet someone. We do it thoughtlessly as well — a fact I am near certain helps us to think it makes perfect sense to rank ourselves and others. This poem bites all of that stupidity in its ass. Bless you for posting it.
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May I never rise above a good bite in the ass.. Thank you for your input on this.
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Totally agree with you there. I don’t always find the biter themselves attractive, but a good, just, and fair bite in the ass now and then can be a blessing.
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This is good!! I think I’ll share on Facebook.
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Feel free and thanks for the exposure!
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