No matter how much we have,
It's never enough,

Greed is such a dirty word,
But it lives and breathes in
All of us.

The root of all evil, 
It's been said.

Money -- a wallet full
Of bills is our
Security blanket.

People kill for it,
People die for it,
We sell our souls for
It.

Without money,
One cannot survive.

Above all else,
It is the ultimate
Status symbol.

It starts in childhood,
As we roll the dice and
Smile as our wad of play
Money grows.

We receive an allowance
For daily chores,
And learn compensation
For labor.

As teens, we flip
Burgers and jerk sodas,
And learn that what we 
Get is far less than what we
Give.

As adults, we risk it all
On a friendly wager at
The track, or in the
Casino.

We watch with baited breath,
And pounding heart, as we
Pray the next card will
Be the key to Eden.

For some, it opens the
Door to hell.

For they use the ultimate
Collateral -- their legs or
Lives.

If they win, they can breathe
Easy for a few months.

If they don't, they spend the
Rest of their days in a wheelchair
Cursing the rain as their kneecaps
Throb in pain.

Or under six feet of dirt,
With another endless night to 
Reflect on their mistakes.

Some give to worthy causes,
Some give to worthy whores,
Who offer an hour or two
Of love...

Or at least a moaning,
Groaning facsimile.

Some become slaves to the
Card with the numbers and the
Seemingly endless limit.

They spend and spend,
Until the bill comes --
And it's time to pay
The piper.

It's been said that
A fool and his money
Are soon parted.

Even if we're not a fool,
The coins slip 
Through our fingers
Eventually.

For no matter how rich
Or how poor, you can
Never take it with
You.
  
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