Explore the complex and often cautionary tales of greed through these ten carefully crafted poems. Each piece delves into the different facets of greed, from its alluring temptation to its inevitable downfall, offering profound insights into this timeless human vice.
Short Poems About Greed
1. The Endless Hunger
This poem depicts the insatiable nature of greed and how it can consume one’s life.
In endless pursuit, more to gain,
A hunger deep, with loss and pain.
Never enough, the heart’s deceit,
In greed’s embrace, defeat’s repeat.
A chasm wide, that never fills,
With each desire, discontent spills.
A thirst unquenched, in endless chase,
In greed’s grip, joy finds no place.
The more amassed, the less it feels,
A void that all the wealth conceals.
In endless hunger, peace is lost,
Greed’s heavy price, the ultimate cost.
2. The Golden Cage
This poem explores how greed can trap a person in a golden cage, providing material wealth but no true freedom.
In golden chains, tightly bound,
Where whispers of wealth abound.
A cage of gold, with bars so bright,
Yet in its gleam, lost is the light.
Riches piled, high and steep,
In velvet chains, the soul to keep.
A prisoner of own desire,
In golden flames, consumed by fire.
Freedom lost, in wealth’s embrace,
Happiness, a forgotten trace.
In golden cage, life ticks away,
Greed’s gilded prison, here to stay.
3. Shadows of Greed
The poem highlights the dark consequences that follow greed, casting long shadows over one’s life.
In greed’s path, shadows fall,
Darkening every heartfelt call.
A trail of loss, and broken ties,
Underneath the avaricious skies.
With every step, a darker shade,
In selfish wants, the heart betrayed.
A silhouette of what was bright,
Now lost in greed’s consuming night.
In these shadows, love grows cold,
In selfish hands, hearts are sold.
A life in darkness, sadly led,
By greed’s long, ominous thread.
4. Echoes of Empty
This piece reflects on the emptiness that follows greed, leaving one with a hollow feeling despite material gains.
A hollow echo, walls of gold,
In greed’s clutch, the heart grows cold.
Rooms filled with treasures untold,
Yet in its midst, life’s warmth withholds.
A silent scream, in opulence,
Lonely echoes, of extravagance.
A palace vast, yet empty halls,
Where laughter’s echo never falls.
In this void, no joy resides,
Only echoes of unsatisfied.
A life of plenty, yet so bare,
Greed’s empty echo, everywhere.
5. The Illusionist
The poem portrays greed as an illusionist, promising happiness but delivering only mirages and deception.
A master of deceit, greed weaves,
A tapestry where heart believes.
Promising joy, in shimmering lies,
An illusionist, in truth’s disguise.
Mirages of bliss, a tempting view,
But reach out, and it’s never true.
A trickster’s game, with stakes so high,
In every win, a hidden lie.
The final reveal, a barren stage,
Where happiness was just a mirage.
The illusionist fades, leaving naught,
But lessons painfully taught.
6. The Empty Feast
This poem captures the irony of greed, where one indulges in an endless feast yet remains unfulfilled.
A table set, with lavish spread,
Where greed sits down, its hunger fed.
A feast of plenty, never ends,
Yet with each bite, emptiness extends.
Goblets of gold, plates piled high,
In gluttony’s grip, truth goes by.
A feast so full, yet nothing sates,
In greed’s grip, hunger escalates.
An empty feast, a paradox,
In chains of want, the diner locks.
A banquet grand, yet no delight,
In greed’s feast, lost is the sight.
7. The Mirror’s Truth
The poem uses the metaphor of a mirror to show how greed can distort one’s self-perception, revealing an unrecognizable reflection.
In greed’s mirror, the reflection lies,
A stranger’s gaze, in familiar eyes.
A distorted view, where truth bends,
In its glass, reality ends.
A face of want, a hollow stare,
In pursuit of more, unaware.
The mirror shows, what one becomes,
When to greed’s tune, the heart succumbs.
A final glance, truth comes in sight,
A reflection lost, in greedy light.
The mirror’s truth, harsh and clear,
In its reveal, self-loss appears.
8. The Desert of Desire
This poem paints greed as a desert, where endless desire leaves one parched and unfulfilled.
In the desert of desire, endless sands,
Where greed’s mirage, the horizon spans.
A thirsty quest, for more and more,
In barren lands, the soul does pore.
Dunes of dreams, ever shifting,
In greedy winds, hearts are drifting.
A parched pursuit, in scorching sun,
Where satisfaction, is never won.
An oasis sought, but never found,
In the desert of want, we’re bound.
A barren chase, no end in sight,
In the desert of greed, eternal plight.
9. The Puppeteer
Greed is personified as a puppeteer, manipulating one’s actions and desires.
A puppeteer, with strings of gold,
Manipulating, bold and bold.
In greed’s hands, the strings are pulled,
In its play, the heart is lulled.
Dancing to a tune so sly,
Not knowing why or what or why.
A marionette in greed’s control,
Losing slowly, bit by bit, the soul.
When strings are cut, the truth unveils,
A life controlled by greedy tales.
The puppeteer’s final bow,
In freedom’s light, the heart avows.
10. The Siren’s Song
The poem likens greed to a siren’s song, alluring and captivating, leading one towards ruin.
A siren’s song, so sweet, so dire,
Igniting in the heart, a fire.
A melody of promises, so bright,
Leading sailors, into the night.
Enchanted by the golden notes,
In greed’s sea, the dreamer floats.
A lullaby of wealth and power,
In its tune, the minutes devour.
But siren’s songs, lead to the deep,
Where sunken souls, their vigils keep.
A haunting melody, ends in sorrow,
In greed’s song, a hollow morrow.
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