Hennessey on ‘they breath,

As the hustle for more continues-

Welcome oblivion – Although brief…

Some find it in ‘Crack’

Others in the lifestyle…

Striving…

Fighting everyone and everything has lost it’s meaning

When the results are always the same

“Incomprehensible demoralization”

To such a degree, most people don’t have the depth of character to understand

Why and how we are where we are on our journey down God’s path.

Especially those guilty of “contempt prior to investigation”

Assumptions made about the ‘type’ of person that ‘chooses’ to be homeless-

But then aren’t we all accountable to some extent, even those of us who ‘know better?’

When it comes to ‘those street people,’ bums, losers, untouchable…

Wouldn’t you rather ignore ‘them’ hoping against hope they’ll leave you alone?

Just GO AWAY! Damn it…

Throw them a meager ration of pennies so that they may use the ‘phone.’

When it’s obvious to all that there is no one – nowhere who will hear us call.

Filthy clothes tattered and worn,

Washed too many times until the material is held together by a few thin stands of hope.

Unkept hair, dreads without the salon touch, jack o lantern smiles

Make us invisible as you cross the street to escape the smell and our downcast eyes…

Aimless shuffle of futility…

Incoherent slurring of exhaustion…

Pale, frail, shivering in the winter,

Stench of sweat in the summer

Hunger is all Seasons.

Starved for the warmth of human kindness,

In a world where a pocketful of change and a cigarette can be a moment’s respite.

Death grip on street Cadillac’s full of precious cargo

So that bedrolls don’t vanish in a puff of smoke.

Forever “moving right along” with security at our back,

Pain and sickness ignored until it’s cleaned up – or not…Just keep walking to nowhere.

If God promised to feed the lowliest sparrow,

Then why am I rifling thru this garbage can begging for scraps?

Looting wealthy ashtrays for carefully horded discarded butts.

Ice-cold water, nectar of the gods, is doled out sparingly

A quarter for the cup

and if the attendant feels magnanimous today

he may spare the pitying glance or even worse the distasteful glare.

Cleanliness becomes a childhood dream

As the aroma of dust and urine infiltrate every fiber of hair, skin, cloths…

Everyday I’m scared, as more of us disappear and No One…

Not even God cares.

If these are His ‘footprints’ then why are my feet swollen and bloody?

i started writing this poem

But all i have are these words.

My pen fumbles for the right ones,

Like taste buds reflected in the midnight glow of the refrigerator

Raid…

Picking…

Discarding the insubstantial pastries and cookies

For the dried salami and sharp cheeses

That seem to fill the empty void

Like food

These lines are my friends,

As well as my worst nitemare-

My work and heart

Are pored into whatever will hold them,

Napkins,

Paper towels,

The margin of an eroding newspaper.

scraps of my soul on paper.

Dying because I have no *"paper"

Alone amidst the pieces of crumbled crumbs and crackers

Unable to hold up under the onslaught of rich protein.

Kindred poetic spirits

From Rap to artistic laments ancient when we were born,

Share a collective consciousness

Awareness of injustices

A compulsion to labor forth-melancholy truths

Licking the frosting off of our '20^th Century "Let them eat Kake!"

 **seeds that are spit

Ignored...

Are you brave enough to clean your pantry?

High Fructos corn syrup, fillers and additives...

Low PHAT,

Fresh packaging; 

"taste GRaTe, less FILLING!"

the "marketable" appearance of whole grain goodness,

Masking a rottenness that is poisoning our nation!

For once,

Couldn't I just eat some chocolate covered cheesecake and ice-cream and just forget this shit?

(* Paper, slang term meaning $ Money)

(**Seeds that are spit, slang meaning words spoken or sung.)