by ~Gregg Rowe~
a homeless man sleeps
under an armless tree
beachcomber hat shades
four o’clock sun
three sacks of collected newspapers
serves as his pillows
a grass sheet
warms his aching back
Father and Daughter
play six feet away
toss bread crumbs
skipping across the park
cement sidewalk
feeding our landmark pigeons
Mother
sits on a park bench
two feet away
snapping
photos
she just focuses her lens
onto her family
blind
to the perfect shot
of the sleeping homeless man
as her backdrop
Author notes
Written August 12th, 2005
In a list
A contest entry
- Hood dreamers by InfiniteWisdom.
400 points, ended April 11, 2006, 5 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 26 of 26
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Your work always fascinates me, and this one is no different. One, it's extremely well written, and also it informs the reader of something that alot of people overlook. I live in a place where you really don't see homeless people, but when I went to a bigger city, I did see a few. And it totally broke my heart. A lot of people seem to think it's always that person's fault for being like that, and it's not, and I just wish people saw that.
Anyway, the ending of your poem was just really amazing, and I'm glad I came by to read this.
Leah
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Thank you Gregg for this sensitive item! This is not a recent phenomenon.
For all who are as smugly blind, there was a documentary on CBC a few years ago in which the family of an executive was featured.
More comfortable than most, home movies showed the happy childhood of two children, ages around 8 and 10. They had all the toys, all-terrains, big boat and summer cottage, two cars... Then it documented what happened when the company their dad worked for suddenly was bought out by a corporation and all the personnel was let go. Thousands.
The big house did not sell, with so many suddenly out of work. It did not take long with their lifestyle to run through savings, and the stock market was down just then. Selling cars at a heavy loss, they also lost their house to the bank when the mortgage payments swallowed the boat, the and all the things they had taken for granted. The documentary contrasted footage from better days, the smiling confidence of kids and parents, with the shattering realization that they had only what they could carry, and that shelters in bad weather were crowded and smelly.
It would be good to remember that living rich in too much house devastates when something goes wrong. Those kids were left on the street, family shunned and then split...
I can't remember if this was part of the show or not, but by the end they had become the people they had scorned, in far worse shape emotionally, psychologically, and physically, than the relatively cheerful folk with the survival skills and support circle of old friends who had always been poor, but never destitute.
If that were all, it would already have been a devastating story. Many of us are a mere few paychecks away from that. Then the police will order us to "move on," to the relief of citizens who want to be proud of their city.
Gregg you have done a real service with this poem!
Terry
Edited on Aug 14, 7:36 because 'typo'. -
Amazing! It really does put into perspective how society and we as humans block certain things. This is excellent.
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Wonderfully written Gregg, it is amazing though, how some people can look right through the homeless, they see them, believe me, but they chose not to. Very well written.
Sally
sss
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It is amazing Gregg that some people do not see the wood for the trees and they miss out on an opportunity to see what's really going on around them. What a dramatic humane picture she missed out on taking.
Love to you my Canadian
Aussie
Joan
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Once again proving that some people can be so ignorant to the things closest to them. Very well written.
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This really makes me think. Your ending threw me for a loop!
There really is kind of a beauty in pain, isn't there?
And it's maybe a good and a bad things that someone can be so down while another person walks a parrellel path and is having a wonderful time. -
Excellent and Informative!
Seeing homeless people on the street and parks are coommonplace here in New York City, a city rich in resources but does little to help the homeless. It's hard not to notice these people, they are no longer just a man or a woman, they're whole families, parents and children alike. It doesn't get any sadder than this. The government need to step in and do something about this problem. President Bush has other problems right now that he's focused on, the homeless is the last thing that's on his mind. This was a very well written and informative poem. You've shed light on a problem that won't go away that easily. Avril
Edited on Aug 13, 10:03 because ''. -
You are so right... I have found some of the most effective of all pictures are those that most would never see on a daily basis... like a person who lives their life in black and seems so anti social... softly touching the face of another. Or the person who is daydreaming and not looking at the camera. It's just beautiful
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I am struck by the sensitivity and power in this stunning piece. A friend asked me to stop by and I'm glad I did. Dee
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There's non so blind as those who do not want to see, and unfortunately that is far too many of us. A very good poem with a valid social message.Well said.
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A very impressive and insightful look into the human condition. People who consider themselves compassionate and Christian all too often don't want to look beyond the homeless drunk or the mentally ill bag lady and what they might have gone through in life that brought them to such a wretched existence. Terrific poem. "There but for the Grace of God go I."
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I take many pictures of many things. One time at the Viet Nam memorial wall in Washington D.C. I snapped a picture of a homeless man sleeping on a bench. It was a stark contrast to all the people milling around. Like your poem. Good effort.
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Wonderful snapshot into the culture of our society. I work in a homeless shelter in a very wealthy town. People are always suprised that this town even has a shelter and it proves how easy it is to ignore the problem. I have seen your scene and it angers me each time. Ignorance is bliss.
This is a well written piece of social commentary. Thank you for sharing. -
Great piece. You have canvas your painted with the pen of a true artist. This somwaht reminds me of a piece i wrote herr "Falter Flame" take a peek if u would?!
ICULoookn -
This is such a clever and powerful write. the form is so powerful and the flow brilliant. i really really love the last two stanzas these have such an impact such a creative way of pointing out he blindness of society to the suffering of the others the individuation of the self, the nuclear family our culture has become one of ignoprance is bliss more is everything and the suffering are over the other side. tyou have done such a fabulous job of conveying this message with these raw images. I commend you on such a well thought out well written piece.
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Perfectly said. It is true we go on with our lives and in the midst is someone in need we won't notice. We shut our eyes to the sorrows of the world sometimes. This was written so very well and with a great insight on people and things around them. Hopefully it will make us think more about the "backdrop" and notice things we should, Plight of people. This was really wonderful and sheds light on something in everyday life. Thank you for sharing.
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Loved the last stanza, and your style all together. This is a perfect example of people who don't give a damn, until one day they're going through some rough times. It's sad, and I'm glad that someone decided to not only take notice to it, but also express it through beautiful art. Thank you for sharing, and great job! I hope to read more from you!
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Gregg... I clicked on this twice because the first time something happened, it got away from me before I could comment.... and I couldn't find it on your poetry list on your author page...so.... I'll either send you some extra points or re-feature it again....it's t hat good
I was deeply moved by this touching poem, so true to life, and makes us stop and think about the plight of the homeless. In Phoenix where I live there are hundreds of homeless people on the street, all ages. I guess the weather here accounts for a lot of them, cool, even warm winters, though the summer heat is a killer. In our recent heat wave a lot of them died from heat exposure. It's sad, and those of us who are more fortunate often ignore their needs, look the other way, or as in your poem, don't even notice them.
Your poem carries a strong message, one which we all need to take to heart .....I'm reminded....."there but for the grace of God, go I"...
Excellent write, compassionate, vivid images, emotionally expressed.
Love and
Dee
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Powerful
Your soul shines on this poem. It is so powerful. People sometimes miss the greatest things in life, for the take for granted things like this, not because they dont see them it is because they choose NOT to see them. Thanks for sharing this beautiful piece with us Greg it is a wonderful write. -
Wonderful just it shows the pure ignorant bliss most of the population stands in today about certain issues and I lovvvvveee the ending stanza!!!
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Wow, lordoftherings, this is very powerful. it hurts to look sometimes. it is as if we are afraid we might catch what they have..and yet we are all on the brink of it at all times.
I am wondering if all you need is:
snapping
photos
of her family...
because it almost feels you explained too much. Does that make sense? -
Often are people oblivious to the problems that appear in our society and become far too self absorbed with themselves, or they have an opinion but never act on it or try to change anything. It is a sad thing. Great write!
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IT is sad how so many people just see what they want to see. Not wanting to "feel" anything for those "lower" than them. Way to often, we pass up helping an angel...and miss our reward. Very nicely done.
Sam
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blind
to the perfect shot
of the sleeping homeless man
as her backdrop
Such a powerful ending, and so true. No one sees the homeless. People avoid it on purpose, believing that the problem goes away. It doesn't. It won't unless we do anything. Thank you for sharing this powerful and well-written poem with us It means a lot.
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(: Hm... I liked how you worded that most of society is self-absorbed and does not notice the suffering of people until they experience it themselves... It is most elegant... and even though I am not especially fond of the beginnings of lines starting with lowercase, it sort of suits your poem in a way. I enjoyed this poem, and I hope to read more by you in the future.
Keep writing, Miji
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