Homelessness is a major problem across the world. We cannot afford to judge people on the streets as we have not had the misfortune to walk in their shoes.
Homeless
She huddled in the bus shelter, chilled to the bone
So far away from home and completely alone
The people in their houses so warm and dry
That’s when it all seemed so clear and she started to cry.
Life can throw some pretty low blows
On a wet face, a tear never shows
Lonely for some attention and love
Sometimes asking why? From God up above.
Dwellings across the street warm and inviting,
The cold in her ungloved hands now biting
She guessed it must be dinner time
Through the double glazing, it looked like a happy mime
Inside a family sitting down, Mum kissing children, Dad acting the clown
So desperate for a hot bath and a filling meal
Lost for a moment in a dream of how good that would feel
For her, damp feet had lost all their feeling
Thoughts of a warm bed for one night so appealing
Did the people in those homes appreciate what they’ve got?
They don’t understand her plight, so probably not.
Life on the street could throw you some knocks
Dark, sinister strangers, made your heart wear a lock.
No one knew how her sodden clothes felt
A day with overcast skies from where freezing rain pelts
She couldn’t go back to her childhood home
That’s where danger, abuse, and violence still roam.
The homes opposite with curtains still open wide
Made her think of better days when she still had some pride
Now to beg for change was no longer a daily chore
The people out shopping had so much more
Some swore and said words she could not repeat
Others hurried by or crossed the street
The ones with eyes that looked straight through
Unknowingly inflicted a pain only she knew
Maybe they were embarrassed with feelings unclear
But to become invisible was her greatest fear.
Tonight insulated with newspapers salvaged from a bin
She hopes for a better life tomorrow might bring
Now she bravely wipes away tears
Closes her eyes and silences fears
Somehow with returning inner strength
She softly cajoles herself at some length
This homeless person on this rainy night must cope
As for her, there’s not the luxury of giving up hope.