Question

The rich man just sat back and thought

Of the wealth he had in store

And how to keep what he had earned

From the lazy shiftless poor.

explain these lines from the poem COLD WITHIN by James Patrick Kinney ASAP PLZ.​

Answer 1

Rich people think that poor people do not work hard. They feel that they are shiftless because their condition and wealth does not change or improve. Therefore he didn’t put his log in the fire because he wanted to keep his earnings from the lazy, shiftless poor.

Answer 2

These lines indicate about the character of the rich man as to how he was pondering to keep his wealth away from the poor man who was one among those 6 individuals sitting besides fire. Rich man exhibits apathy as he is caught up boarding his riches in his head and is oblivion to reality. He selfishly connives to keep his wealth away from the poor whom he perceives to be aimless and lazy. He is a haughty man who considers poor to be undeserving and that's the reason why he could not persuade himself to give up his stick to the dying fire.