Many Faces of Homelessness

Children walk the street at night,
put out of their home cause their parents had a fight.
A smile on their face, turn to a frown,
a while ago their lives were up, now down.
A mother trying to do the best she can,
gets beat up at night by her husband.
A house she called home has vanished away,
she must find a shelter and hope she can stay.
A family who lost their home to fire,
Now must sleep somewhere the rats only desire.
Will the Red Cross save them and find them a place to lay their heads, or will grass and ground under a bridge be their only beds.
A single man, a single woman working everyday
fighting addictions, struggling to keep their pay.
Going from this place to that place just to get fed.
Knowing you are just existing, better known as the walking dead.
Oh, there is the advocates doing all they can,
Trying this and that wanting to understand.
Was it they want money, food clothes or a home,
Or, really none of the above simply to be left alone.
Tears, smiles, frowns, laughter, crying,
sighing, whining, work, violence, dying
Struggle, hope, joy, happiness, love,
pain, agony, hurt, sorrow, blessing from above.
These are the many faces of homelessness,
some are sad, glad and some are "filled" with loneliness.
But as time goes by and things start to change,
When people start looking hopeful, a home is in range.
When politicians look at the homeless as they do the rich,
When they give tax abatements to someone who lives in a ditch.
When they stop taking advantage of mentally ill,
When they start helping people who really want a skill.
When the face of homelessness is not determined by race, but helping a person to start over and find them a place.
When hatefulness is replaced by kindness,
To replace the many faces of homelessness.
Wake up America, lets give each other a home,
Our people don't have to be like deer and antelope where buffalo roam.
Let's give every American life, liberty and happiness, affordable housing, decent jobs and training will end the many faces of homelessness.

Respectfully submitted by:
Mr. Melvin J Bryant (B.K.A.) BUZZY

Copyright NEOCH and the Homeless Grapevine published March 1997-April 1997 Issue 20