I'm Leery of Firms With Easy Terms

In spite of my sad financial state,
The country’s running a competition
To further abet and aggravate
My Personal Debt condition.
Whatever I want: a car or cow,
A ranch or refrigerator,
I’m urged to buy for a dollar now
And a lot of dollars later.
In short, the merchants with wares to sell
Consider my cash a crime
And keep advising me – what the Hell –
To buy what I need On Time.

Lately, as more and more bills evolve,
I often think of my Cousin Emma,
Who finally found a way to solve
Her own Time Payment dilemma.
When she was up to her ears in hock
For jewels and furs and raiment
And realized, with a sudden shock,
She couldn’t make one more payment . . .
She bought On Time, for want of a dime,
A trip to Peru one fall,
And not only didn’t come back On Time,
She didn’t come back at all.