He is propped up against a small wall
His legs splayed across the sidewalk
Like beached dolphins
Some drops of red wine
Stuck in his scraggly beard
Liquid rubies
One hand holding the paper bag
The bag holding the bottle
The other clamped possessively
Onto the remnants of a rucksack
Ostensibly containing what is left of
His worldly possessions
“Fuck this life”, he says
And takes another swig from the bottle
People passing step gingerly over
Or around his legs
Careful not to touch
Not looking not caring
Afraid to be contaminated with
The alcoholism virus
The homeless person disease
And be sucked themselves
Into the quicksand of
Hopelessness and despair
Afraid of losing their dignity
To second-hand clothes
Horrified to be reduced to
A bundle of rags inhabiting
The sidewalk and talking to
A nearly empty bottle.
-
Author:
Alfred Peyer (Pseudonym) (
Offline) - Published: July 11th, 2017 01:56
- Comment from author about the poem: Read recently that we have nearly 10,000 homeless in Hawaii.
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 104
- Users favorite of this poem: Poetic Dan
Offline)
Comments10
it's a tragedy that it happens right across the globe. some areas worse than other but none-the-less, it's still a fucking tragedy and disgrace in this day and age. get it together civilisations. an important poem here that people should listen and react to.
A few years ago I hear (don't know if it is true) that mainland cities paid some of their homeless a one-way ticket to Hawaii. I guess it is easier here without the winters.
that doesn't surprise me one bit. the 3rd class citizens have always been at the bottom of the ladder.
You know what really bugs me? Quite a few of our homeless are veterans. First they give everything they have to our country, then they end up in the gutter. Something is wrong here. My wife owns a small (very small) bakery located in an area of town where there are quite a few homeless people. I usually buy them a fast-food meal, rather than give money which would probably just go for alcohol. Also, whatever we have left-over from our bakery goes to Aloha Harvest, a non-profit organisation that helps feed the needy. It is not much we do, but at least we do something.
I'm very proud to hear someone say that. you see how poetry can sometimes change things, even if it's like you say, "just a little" then your efforts are completed. well done towards your humanity.
All done sir, for I've been that one on the street, I know friends that also were lucky to get out of this so call homeless disease (will said) this cure is not simply because not many want to see.
The other day I gentlemen was so thankful for me stopping and reading his card, say no one stops, let's alone have a conversation and shake hands.
I can never offer much but my time, if they don't have dogs they usually have a good cuddle with mine. From my own experience food and water is needed but if you just feel abandoned then it's the spirit that's struggling, for this you need to see and feel genuine compassion.
All done for your part, I know it feels small but we all have an impact your ripple will help bring the wave.
Thank you so much Poetic Dan,
It would be nice if that ripple would go across the whole pond.
Your hitting the another island right now, they call it the uk but from where I stand it's just another peace of land.
You've also in my opinion gone above the sea as your words are now in the cosmos for all to see and hear, it will go on and on
Thank you again my friend
Hate to contradict you Poetic Dan, but to hit your island, that wave would have to go either across the Pacific, around South America, and up the Atlantic, OR, across the Pacific, around Africa, and up the Atlantic. I guess the internet is a lot easier!!! 🙂
Different perspectives, no contradictions.
As for me the Ripples and waves are atoms not water.
Unless I'm riding it then I'm sure that would be one awesome ride 😉
Man, I tell ya, it ain't a pretty sight. But how can you distinguish one homeless person from a fake these days? Since I was a child people have been pretending to be homeless just to rob people of their good will. People being homeless makes me sick. People pretending to be homeless pisses me off. That's putting it lightly. It's no joke, that's for sure. Good poetry, strong message. Keep it up Fred.
I agree with you Nicholas, there is abuse in homelessness the same way there is abuse everywhere else. But you cannot throw everybody into the same pot.
With the high rents these days many people are living paycheck to paycheck. All it takes is loss of a job, high medical bills, or some other calamity and these people are out on the street. Then you have the mentally ill as well.
But I have to say you have a point too. I remember seeing a guy, maybe 30 years old, panhandling on a street corner. He was limping like crazy. Another day I saw the same guy walking normal to McDonalds.
You have to pick the ones you want to help.
It's unfortunate that the world has sunken this low. It's absolutely disgraceful. All of those people give you and I a bad reputation. It's horrible, really.
And by "people", I mean the one's who pretend to be without food or shelter, just to earn a quick few bucks.
Wonderful poem Fred
An absolute work of art sir.
I wrote a similar poem
Called " guilty charity "
It's about a tramp I met
One day, the poem was
More about how a person
Gets to this state, what
Happened... it's not a real
Story just something that could
Happen.. please Fred if you get
Time read it and let me know what you think of it...
love this Fred.. great work !!!
Thank you P.H. just read your poem "Guilty Charity" and do like it. You are so right, it can take an accident, a death, sickness, or any other calamity for somebody to go from good to broken.
Thank you Fred...
Fred, you hit the vein here. How sad it is to see people at the street without a shelter, food, hope? It is the true shame of our sociate and yet we don't do much, or do nothing. But really? What we regular people could do? This is why family and friends are so important but with the alcoholism there is not much hope. We have to have compassion but it also can drag us to a terrible and miserable situation by association. I think if we could create a group of people and begin to make and bring soup for the homeless it could help a bit. At least they could feel some hope.
By the way now that you brought this up I don't see much of them in the area I live. Did they all went to Hawai?
Thank you Malu, I agree it is sad. There are some homeless who do not want to get off the street, but the majority is not there by choice.
Part of the reason we have more and more homeless does have to do with the breakup of the old family values. And alcoholism is obviously another reason.
It's an increasing problem here in the UK - If only there were a universal answer to help these poor folk.
Thanks for your comment Michael. I don't think there is a universal answer. Obviously there will always be some homeless, but the number is going up due to economic reasons as well as the breakup of family values (at least in my opinion). Too many people are only one paycheck away from living on the street. The strong middle class is getting smaller and smaller with only a few moving up and a lot slipping. Thank you for reading and caring.
These people are all individuals not one smelly heap. Each has their own story and valid reason for their circumstance. Comments made by PoeticDan here resonate with me. Excellent provocative writing FredPeyer
Thank you so much for your kind comment!
A grim portrait, this one, and a commentary on the times. "There but for the grace of God" comes to mind. Fine poem, Fred!
Thank you so much Louis! It is grim. Drove recently along the Waianae Coast on Oahu and there are now whole tent cities with families, kids, and dogs living on the beach. Not a pretty sight.
Very good and true write but it is not just in Hawaii, it is everywhere. Here in the UK it seems to be getting worse but those who have the power to do anything about it cannot, or do not, see the problem.
The City and County of Honolulu has been talking about doing something for quite a while, but they are still far from a solution. The question is if there is a solution. To change something, one has to start at the root problem, i.e. what to do to prevent people from ending up on the street. Not easy!
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