Today I shook a homeless mans hand
It was dirty,grimy and it felt like wet sand
I did it without a thought
He is still human I said
I understand his polite demeanor
He use to be a different person as well
Homeless like this old gentleman
Doesn\'t say a lot about me being poor
Raised from birth as a outcast
Thrown out into the cold streets
I grew up amongst the street hustlers in thugs
Not never having enough to eat
Having a lot of pride in my heart
Never crying out loud
As I walk alone in the pitch dark
Looking for a hand out if one was ever given
Not ever being asked or invited to a thanksgiving
Dying inside
Just one good cry could wash all my pain away
If I could just force one tear to fall
Seconds away from being a junkie
Having a Monster on your back
That dope fiend feeling
Like you are driving a Cadillac
Having a potential HIV needle hanging out my arm
I am cool today I have my fuck you face on
Thinking as I nodded on in off
If I died today
Whom will come to the funeral of a known bum
Then I cried deeply inside my mind
Releasing harbored memories as a kid
I don\'t want to fail my mom
She died of a accidental overdose
I struggle to pull that needle out my weak vein
Tears finally rolled down my face like rain
I was in a deep pain
I cried out to
GOD
To release me from this dark place
I stood up pulled the shirt tight around my neck
I said as I sweat profusely
This is going to be a helluva fight
I remember waking up thinking I died
In someone\'s bed
A homeless women I thought
She was very kind to me
Got me on my feet and things changed for me
I became focused
I was aware of everything around me
I prayed directly to God
He must have knew I was finally ready to do better
Today I am knew
Its tomorrow I struggle with
But today I am free
I have a family now
A lovely wife and 3 wonderful kids
I have a family I said damn that felt good to say
I struggle every single day
I am alive so I continue to live
Every morning is beautiful to me
The world in its self is endless with possibilities
I know exactly what it is to be poor
Homeless broke
I know what it is to be rich like white folks
I extended my hand to this homeless gentleman
Someone did me the same exact way
I believe in good karma
I think we are all steps away
From being a different you