Free means worthless,
cheap means trash.
I’ll pay my way
or go away. Charity
offends, degrades,
scorns me
despite good intent.

Sometimes, though,
I can’t carry my own,
must own up to hopeless,
helpless, powerless.
Then the largesse itself
conveys respect,
equality, God’s favor
neither earned
nor to be spurned,
the gift of grace.