Benefit (poem)

Benefit

To work for thirty hours a week

For what equals way below minimum wage

Every other available hour, told to job seek

Told I’m lazy, if it sends me into a rage

It’s for my benefit

 

No, we can’t let you do a college course

Or anything else to better yourself

Told that forced unpaid labour will open doors

That it will improve my mental health

It’s for my benefit

 

If I want to pursue any kind of career

I have to do that at my leisure

While living a life of threats and fear

I should act like this slavery is a pleasure

It’s for my benefit

 

Will this lead to a paid job?

No, we can’t afford to pay you

Be quiet and shut your gob

You know its true

It’s for your benefit

 

Then what’s the point please?

Stop being so rude

Stay where you belong, on your knees

All this talk of payment is just crude

Especially when it’s for your benefit

 

But I only want to earn a wage

And pay my way in life

Get back into your metaphorical cage

You’re clearly lacking motivation and drive

We’re only doing this for your benefit

 

We don’t appreciate this unwillingness to work for pittance

Asking why you can’t be paid fairly

Requesting to be given a chance

You’re getting by, barely

All of this is for your benefit

 

The taxpayers need someone to blame

So we’ll just point at you

We know it’s an awful shame

But what else can we do?

It’s for their benefit

 

You can’t expect us to enforce a fairer tax

Instead, we’ll send you to work for free

For a organisation who’s rules we’ll relax

So they’ll pay less tax than you or me

It’s for their benefit

 

Blaming the poor, punishing the sick and disabled

Enslaving the jobless and removing real opportunities

When will people start to see

None of it is for our benefit?

It’s all for their benefit.