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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, January 26, 1992                   TAG: 9201270167
SECTION: NEW RIVER VALLEY ECONOMY                    PAGE: 15   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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FORMER AT&T WORKER SINGS SONG OF POVERTY

When Don Linkous gets depressed about being laid off and poor, he picks up his guitar. One night a year ago, he strummed out a medium-fast country beat and in one sitting put together words to express how he felt.

"With the music that came out with it, I thought it was pretty good," he said with a laugh.

\ I'm In Poverty

I wish I was dead and go to . . . well

That's how I feel today

All that's left in my life

Is three kids and a wife

It seems like they hate me anyway

I lost a job at a factory

It closed down and now I'm broke

Thought I could make it fine

In an unemployment line

Oh, what a joke!

I'm in poverty, P-O-V-E-R-T-Y

And that's the only word right now

That will make me sit down and cry.

I'm in poverty, yeah that's right

And if I knew it wouldn't get any better

I'd end it all tonight.

The bill collectors are getting close

To taking my home away.

If I could only find a good-paying job

I know things would work out OK.

It's got me feeling way down.

My wife is depressed,

And the children feel it on the inside.

Lord, I pray, please help me some way

Before I lose it and die.

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