Huddled on corners
Intersections freeway
Off ramps any
Island or shoulder
Never comfortable
Unwelcome
Spat upon
Derided for laziness
Their niche a chink in the
Landscape
Homeless citizens
Carry cardboard signs
Important means of
Livelihood and
Survival the
Attention grabbing
Words chosen to
Reflect military
Status and recovery
Failings, mental
Circumstance and
Reduction of dreams
Basic needs and
What is left of
Each life
Told in a kind of
Handheld haiku.
Will work
Outside Cold
Won’t lie: Beer
Nam Vet
Trying to get home
Cash
Lost job
On streets
Have family
Anything helps
Terminately ill
God bless
Thanks ~
boys that are girls
men that are women
a woman and whiskers
a female and muscles
testosterone and estrogen
night and day
aggressive and submissive
Intelligent with drive
Intelligent with diversity
a life with hell
visits with death
displacement, humiliation
Inept personal accomplishments
Double freakhood
Permanent catch 22
Hollywood Film Extraordinaire
Baby hood soul, mind
mountain person presence, 6’4’’
hell hood
non voluntary
1 goal in mind
to be happy someday
as a woman
out of loving hell
To peek and peak a mockingbird
To Kilamanjaro to what’s the word?
In dreams we laughed with Norma Jean
Her lonely inner child unseen
To build a fire, to face the fear
To live and love, that’s why we’re here
And so I ask you, What’s the word?
You say, Topeka Mockingbird
Grab held tightly
Let go lightly
Grabbing minds shatter
This shimmering mosaic
Untold generations
Have struggled to produce
This radiant moment
On this spinning rock
Our scientists and priests
Have labored to explain
This vast universe of stars
Yet no one among us
Can explain to me
My fervent love for this sunset
For that tree and its gnarled bark
My love for you
And this eternal present
Islands in the sun
Hemispheres of my brain
Bound for different shores
