Reminiscing warm times
for the cold weather:
The
stars were bright
The
sky was light
And
heaven’s glitter
Came
shining thru
All
from thoughts of you!
Do
you see what I see
Do
you hear what I hear
Said
the homeless person
To
the gentle police
10
pm W. 25-Detorit Ave government parking lot surrounded by black metal fence
standing in the grass protected by the fence’s thoughts…
The
fireworks display in the Flats lasted 20 minutes and was impressive: the lights,
the designs, the noise, the surroundings, and lastly, but most importantly, the
people.
Police
and the homeless have much in common-neither can be bought and both have
hardships and all love freedom. The police motorcycle was parked in the middle
of the road blocking the entrance to the Memorial Shoreway West- the W. 25th
entrance. How brave to put themselves at such risk to prevent such accidents.
The motorcycle lights were flashing red, white, and blue-across the street, St.
Malachi Catholic Church’s illuminated green cross was even as colorful, while
the noisy flashes were going on in the sky. The flashes appeared like rain, like
lightning, like comets, and if one closed his ears to the noise, it could be
imaginable that bits of metal were falling from the sky; after all consider the
last of the fireworks, those at the end with the most display, is a sham battle.
A homeless man walked by and when asked if he was going to watch the fireworks,
he replied: “I can’t do it. I’m a Vietnam Veteran. I have to leave.”
Now
Chinese used to-probably still do-make the best fireworks. And there is
something to be said about Chinese culture: They respect people who are up in
age, other than like our news media says. That they pay attention to detail so
they get our jobs and we sometimes resent them. For overpopulation they use
voluntary rewards, giving the people money each year who have just one child.
That sounds kinder to me than artificial birth controls and abortions. And
Confucius says many things but I like how Buddha rubs his tummy. Buddha is
hungry.
This
article was supposed to be on a favorite charitable meal site. The Catholic
Center wins my favoritism because they are holistic with many facets to raise
the indigent or anyone to more beneficial loving beings, and giving and
receiving makes the world go around. Like they say, what goes around comes
around.
There
is the Good Samaritan parable and then the parable of God curing the leper. All
major religions have helpful ways in them-why can’t we see that money isn’t
everything. Instead of teaching so much history that causes strife, why not
teach things we need to know, for example how to grow a garden or can foods or
how to cook safely.
It’s
not odd that Cleveland has the most poor in it when you consider that we used to
be called the city of churches; that is, before we became the city of bars.
It’s natural that people gravitate to the most cordial surroundings within
their means and an ethical home is priceless be it a mansion or a tent.
Those
signs that went up on Public Square and other major business districts in
Cleveland that say: “Give Where it helps” and “It’s Okay to Say No”
(to a person). That was a misnomer, was not the position of this paper for the
homeless. Public Square should be public and freedom of speech, or person, or
appearance. Why, the poor little children used to get a good education in the
flats warehouse district by the river. Now the low income and homeless are
shuttled everywhere and anywhere where they are out of sight-how crude-how
maddening.
That
sign-are we to give to charities that pay their employees thirty thousand plus a
year or give a dollar or change to a homeless person who wants to remain
independent, even if it’s in a tent. The YMCA costs dollars a night-then the
person could be clean and rested and go to work.
I
want to thank Congressman and Mrs. Kucinich, Sister Ellen, and Dick Feagler for
inspiration and all the people at the West side Market for true grit
hospitality.
Maybe
next time the fireworks will appear as colored specks of pollen falling to the
ground or blowing in the air-Thanks to Judy for that one and for being my muse.
Letters
to the editor related to homelessness would be appreciated.
Have
a happy and warm holiday season.
Copyright Homeless Grapevine Issue #86 in
November 2008 Cleveland Ohio.