English 352: Forms of Poetry Rondeau Contest Runner-Up

Dirty Hands

With dirty hands, you pass it on,
The money that you've worked for, gone.
The products lined on every shelf,
Calling out, “Take this for yourself!”
Companies use you as their pawn,

Claiming that it's never a con,
Pulling you in with some icon,
Into the stores you delve
With dirty hands.

They tell you things, an illusion
Of large words in flashing neon.
You let them add to all their wealth,
And line their pockets with no stealth
To climb up in the echelon,
With dirty hands.

Bobbi Evans

BIO: Bobbi Evans is currently an undergraduate student at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois.