Photogrpahs by Suhee Kang
Words by Patrick Lydon
We shout about poverty
use it to define those
who ‘do not have’
But before our influence spread
These people didn’t know of
money, wealth, extravagance, poverty
They only cared of
family, earth, food, shelter
So how is it
that a nation
who puts family and basic necessity
above all else
is more ‘impoverished’
than a nation
who puts wealth and material possessions
before anything
Which is the country
truly impoverished
A simple life does not mean
a low quality life
what use is complexity
if stress is heightened
quality time is diminished
and true connection with life is unheard of
A tin roof does not mean
an unhappy family
what use is a comfortable, cavernous living room
if father and mother are at work
children are at day care
and there is no family to speak of
Are those in less industrialized countries crazy
for living in simplicity
and connecting firstly with the earth and eachother
Or are we crazy
for ignoring simplicity
and connecting firstly with technology and our possessions