I used to give what ever I had in those loose pockets of minehoping
the little would make you smile,
encourage
or motivate you to blossom again.
So you wouldn't have to bear those despiteful stare
as you ask for spare change.
so that your coffee would warm your chest,
just
so that you could get by another day.
Until i saw you walking your dog
into a house...
holding cans of beer, and grocery...
this is a trickery of sight, I think?
Unbelief made me watch you for one week
or so:
as you came out of your house
and went to work, sitting there
pleading for spare change
upon my deaf ears.
Though you probably counted for
a small percentage,
my compassion fled to the unknown,
a rock pumps the cells through my veins
and a blind eye i give
these days.
Can I find my faith
again?
Shaun Gordon aka Donusho 14/11/2010 ©
Picture from Adam Dustus, OneShotPoetry (one shoot sunday photo), oneshotpoetry.blogspot.com
A small note:
I am aware that not all homeless people are out there to deceive or make money just so they can get another fix. I have spoken to some homeless people and they actually admitted that this is a chosen lifestyle for them. Though this is not true for all as everyone situation is different.
The above poem is a personal experience of my mine and I wanted to express how it made me feel, think and delve into how it effected my attitude.
Thanks for reading.
A year ago our local news channel ran a series on the homeless people in our area, standing on the street corners, begging for money. They also followed them home, and showed on the news that these people were not homeless. They also interviewed some of them, and found out that some days they made $200.00 or dollars a day or more. Granted not everyday, but they never went home empty-handed. I realize as you, that not all homeless people are that way by choice, but some have mental problems, and can't work, and don't want off the streets.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing that moving poem, it expressed some of my feelings about homelessness.
Thank you for your comment Gig, very much appreciated - i love your blog by the way!
ReplyDeletei hear you...sucks...but people do this...and it only worsens the plight of those that are truly homeless...
ReplyDeleteYou have touched upon a tricky yet sensitive issue, but still skillfully done. It strikes a cord home.
ReplyDeleteDonusho...any thinking person weighs in the back or front of their mind real homelessnes. I wonder if we want to get our trust back we should go in the deep night and find these people in the allys asleep...and slip them something under what ever they are laying their head on like a tooth fairy.
ReplyDeleteDonusho, this was the circumstance of a person in our area posing as a homeless vet. I wondered which was the sadder: that someone would deceive in this way and do injustice to those truly in the position, or the loss of faith you so clearly convey in your poem.
ReplyDeleteHello Donusho -- I work in a homeless shelter -- and there are those who take advantage.
ReplyDeleteI live in a community -- and there are those who take advantage.
I think the hard part is to not lose our humanity when faced with the inhumanity of others.
You have captured it well here -- and your question about faith is very, very powerful. Can we lose faith or does it simply wait for us to embrace it again?
Oh my goodness - that is horrible! With so many truly in need, it is despicable to think that someone would manipulate and use their pain like this to their own advantage. Here's hoping you can find your faith again, amidst such unnerving revelations as this...
ReplyDeletei think those are really exceptions. usually i won't give them money but buy them sth to eat. enjoyed your view from a different angle on this topic
ReplyDeleteNo, they are not all homeless, and some who live on the streets are there by choice. Personally, I don't think that changes anything... the fact is, there are many on the streets who really do not have a home to go to.
ReplyDeleteLoved this line: a rock pumps the cells through my veins
The faithless man who cannot find his face underneath the blanket of days <3 Absolutely loved the way you got under his skin. This photo is something I see daily in London. Wish I could change the world, maybe if we all club together with our words <3
ReplyDeleteyes, sometimes it's hard to know ~ there is a magazine that is sold on the streets for that purpose of support and self support and even with that ~ some not even registered (although now they have to carry a badge) would carry one issue and ask for the money ~ you would give it to them and they would say is it OK if I hold onto the issue save me going back for more ~ we later learned that it was a scam ~ but undermined the good work and put us off from puchasing again ~ (I have since regained my trust in that because of the badge ~ but I suppose they could find a way around that (cynic) ~ but I like to think they are a minority ~ there are those that are really needy ~ there but for the grace fo God ~ but you do sadly make really valid points ~ great write and take on the prompt.
ReplyDeleteLib
hello...
ReplyDeleteI live on a street that harbors homeless people..I walk down a pavement where old men and women beg...and again I am homeless too...great read sir...simply moving...
Do visit my other blog and drop in your thought at the post destination unknown . It too speaks of a homeless person with a brighter mood.
Haven't we all had this happen? And don't you feel like a fool for being duped? Perhaps, I have told myself, the real foolishness was believing that my generosity was a gift. Maybe it wasn't. Maybe I was buying a small piece of hope that the homeless person's poverty wasn't caused by me or the choices I make within my society.
ReplyDeleteSeeing the person-of-poverty enter their door of wealth, my purchase is ruined.
True generosity and true compassion have no expectations. Those gifts are freely given no matter what the result or who the recipient.
By giving in the first place, you had an opportunity to express generosity and compassion. No matter what the imposter did with his life, YOU became generous and compassionate when you offered the money.
These are degrees of humanity that you cannot buy with coins or gold and can't earn in university. Don't let one imposter ruin who you truly are.
Greetings! How are you?
ReplyDeleteI invite you to participate at Thursday Poets Rally Week 36…
Enter your entry here if you are ready
Hope to see you in, Happy Sunday, best wishes for the year of 2011.
xoxox