the hot Arizona sun burns
through tattered clothes, threadbare
one more day, his sign bent
it’s words faded
don’t look at him, this beggar man
you might see his pleading eyes
that make you feel shame
for being more fortunate than he
his sign reads simply
‘please help, homeless, need food’
so get a job, don’t just stand there
don’t expect anyone else to feed you
traffic stops and he’s walking in my direction
I roll up my window, fearing
this dirty man may stop and ask for money
but as I watch from the corner of my eye
my heart begins to soften
I feel compelled to look into his eyes
sad eyes, squinting from the sun’s glare
and I wonder what made him this way
what was his life like before
we don’t know the circumstances
the story of why he’s here
begging on the median
in a city of wealth and beautiful homes
what about his home
he must have had one, now long gone
a family, what about them
do they wonder where he is
as he comes closer
I roll down my window
and I smile at this man in tattered clothes
with a bedraggled sign asking for help
he smiles back and his eyes twinkle
he starts to walk on by
wait, I say, let me help
it’s not much but you're welcome to it
God bless you, ma’m and thank you
his voice is clear and hopeful
this raggedy man, dirty and unshaven
has an aura of light and love
and I’m reminded of another man
who gave his all and promised to return
to always show us the way
……and I know I have seen him
Dee Garner
© April 23, 2006
Author notes
We don't know what brought a person to a life of begging, we shouldn't judge them harshly. They are human, and as such, deserve some dignity and commpassion.
Written April 23rd, 2006
In a list
A contest entry
- Free verse poems on clowns (jokers) or, beggar WITH DEEP MEANING....FOR POETS WITH LESS THAN AN by Manoj Sanyal.
400 points, ended April 26, 2006, 5 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - "MEMBERS OF HUGH WYLES FAVOURITES GROUP ONLY" No. 12 by huguenauties.
750 points, ended May 30, 2007, 19 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 43 of 43
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This is a lesion in compassion that we all need every so often. Sometimes we need to look beyond the dirt and shabbiness and see the angel.
Cyber
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This tells a truth. Poor people are people. (I know!)
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That is poetry at its finest. It brought tears to my eyes and compassion in my heart.There should be more people like you in the world.This is definitly going to be one of my favorite poems of all times.
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Though I'm not a terrible pious person myself, I still very much appreciate the end. It's a perfect fit to what is ultimately a very well crafted narrative with a great sense of flow.
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Thank you for taking the time to enter. We appreciate your talents. Best of luck to you
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I had an interesting conversation the other week with a friend of mine about homeless people and helping them and he said that he never helps them because he thinks that they should go get jobs. I don't agree with that, however, I think we should do whatever we can to help them. It makes my heart ache when I think of all the people without homes and I know I cannot help them all but maybe I can at least help some. Thank you for this lovely poem to remind me of why I try to help. I am bookmarking this for continual reminders.
Elisa, CB & YOKEGG -
Thought provoking - in this day and age so easy to turn away. Well done.
Cheers
Anne
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I love this...it is sad and yet hopeful, all at the same time. When people live from pay check to pay check, it does not take much to put them out into the streets to live...an illness or injury, being laid off work, or a number of other things. I saw it often when I lived in the city, and always I was reminded of how lucky I was.
This was a great choice for the contest, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it.
Good luck and best wishes,
~J.
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Dear Dee, It is right we should never judge people by the way they look because we never know the circumstances that lead them to live this life.
A very thought provoking poem that I enjoyed reading.
Hine.
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Indeed a wonderful poem!
In life, circumstances might bring us into situations we never had expected to be before.
Excellent and moving poem Dee
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excellent~
I must of missed this one the first time around I can definitely see why it won gold...and no we should not judge others...some day we may be in their shoes and I know I would not want to be judged....Written with love compassion and dignity indeed.....
Best of luck in the contest....I loved this one....
Hugs
Your sis....
Susan~~~
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Wow, Dee, that is awesome! You made my throat catch and tears well up, when your eyes met. We don't know how people get into this situation, it is really "there but for the grace of God", we could all have be there. I have felt that hardening of the heart, and felt guilty for it too. In the end we are all children finding our way - thank you for showing the beauty of this individual.
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Dear Dee, It just shows you that you can't judge anyone by their looks. the unfortunate homeless people are sometimes there through loss of income who have nothing left and nowhere to go.
And who knows he may be the one we've waited for in disguise.
Very thought provoking poem Dee.
Jen.
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What more is there to say
as usual it is a great piece. Good luck on winning the gold again... Darlene
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Well done!
Dear Dee,
Your compassionate poem warmed my heart. Rather than judging the homeless (as so many do) you do the best you can to help someone less fortunate than yourself. Jesus said, "As you do for the least of these, you do for Me."
God bless you!
♥ Maureen
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well written. i totally agree with what you are saying. they are no better or worse than any of us and deserve to be treated with compassion respect and dignity!
well done
good luck with your entry
til
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Ah, another Riverside Louis.... for the heart that knows to see beyond .
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Dear Dee,
What an amazing poem you have chosen from your collection of poems.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the homeless man and quite rightly we should never judge anyone who's come across difficult times.
Beautifully written my friend.
Love Joan
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Dear Dee,
There are certain writings which I read over and over because I find they bring out my best feelings as opposed to most of the stuff in the newspapers. Examples are: Dickens' "A Christmas Carol", Gray's "Elegy in a Country Churchyard", Khayyam's "Rubaiyat"; another is the parable of "The Good Samaritan". There are many others which remind us that we pass this way but once and it behoves us, in passing, to sow what good we can. I am bookmarking your poem as another read for the betterment of my soul. A splendid choice.
As our Lord said: "In as much as you have done it for your brother, you have done it for Me."
Thankyou for writing and sharing this entry. Good luck in the voting.
Applause, love and hugs, XXX Hugh R.
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Dear Dee, A perfect choice for our huguenauties contest and it's true what you say: We should never judge them as "There but for the grace of God-Go I!"
Very lovely poem.
Hine.
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Beautifully written but heartwrenching Dee. How many times do we watch those people less fortunate than ourselves and just pass them by.
We as a society need to be far more compassionate to those folks, it may be not their own fault that they find themselves in such dire circumstances. In some cases it is, but there is still a story behind what brought them to that place in life.
This is a post which really makes us think a little harder about our own selfishness, its not hard for us to give a little of ourselves to those who have nothing.
Ann
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Nice twist
at end. Kind of brings to mind that song from a while back..."What if God was one of us".
I've been at the bottom 3 or 4 times in my life and given the state of the nation am not totally sure I won't be there again someday. Many are only a paycheck or two from being homeless. I always tell people if it gets too bad, I'll just toss a brick through the jewelry store window and wait for the cops to show up or hike to another town and take off my pants and walk the streets till they pick me up and take me in for evaluation. Actually the second choice might be better since you probably wouldn't have to put up with the "hardcore conditions" of a prison system.
Just a few days ago they said charities collected almost $265 billion dollars last year. Yet people went to bed hungry, some slept on street and others died, so it really makes me wonder where ALL this money being collected is going. I did some research awhile back and there are 1.2 million tax exempt organizations in the USA alone. Just imagine what the payout is on that is for "help" ,heating, office "necessities" and officer wages. Perhaps we should just disband all of them and get back to the simple neighbor helping neighbor times. Just think of how much more efficient that would be.
Hugs and Happy Holidays
-Eddy
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Dear catz,
My heart flipped flopped through this whole poem. First I cared, then I thought wait what about single mothers with other mouths to feed, then you brought me back to compassion again. And with such a beautiful ending, I was a bit ashamed.
Full of emotions and I just fell into this wonderful poem.
Tang -
pozo gave about the very best constructive critique you could possibly get on this brilliant free verse. The imagery is outstanding. I was taken there with you every mile of the way. I can see why this easily received the GOLD! CONGRATULATIONS! Oft times I consider these people angels in disguise. You know the old story about Jesus coming to the door of the woman who was cleaning her home and making ready for him and she sent Him away three times because she thought he was a "beggar". That's what I thought as I read through this. I smiled all the way. I am so glad you were drawn to this spirited soul. Far too many times we turn away. I think they hold miracle dust in their hands, and when we give them our change, they sprinkle a bit our way. I loved this Dee. I am happy you got the merit you deserved in this challenge. Wonderful!
Much Love,
Renee
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wonderful
OH MY... heart wrenching.. I know what you mean when you see them you want to hide.. but then when i was in hollywood we took this one in and bought him a meal and he lied to us.. found out he begs there a lot and the restuarant people got mad at us for bringing him in.. then we go outside and he askes me for 20.00 GEESH.. great poem though..
Tis sad some of these guys
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This is a good one. Very meaningful. Love your poems
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Thank you so much for the Gold trophy and the points, Manjol
And thank you for understanding this poem. It truly came from within my heart. Here in Phoenix we see a lot of street people, many of whom stand on the medians and hope for help.
Who are we to judge these people when we don't even know why they're in such dire circumstances. Is it so important why? Whatever their reasons, they need help ...and I'm always reminded of something I heard years ago...'there, but for the Grace of God, go I'
love and
Dee
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Very well written and very well concluded.
…and I’m reminded of another man
who gave his all and promised to return
to always show us the way
……and I know I have seen him... great!
Thanks Dee for your participation.
Best wishes and good luck.
manoj
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A beautiful and touching composition Dee!! Sometimes it's so easy to judge as WE rush about our days, trying to get our shopping done, our bank books balanced, our days in order and wonder why these people don't just pull themselves up by their boot straps. BUT, taking a second look, and a second thought, we are taught as Christians to show compassion for those who have less than ourselves. Maybe it was by their own means that they ended up as they are, but then again, maybe not... maybe they just didn't get that bit of luck, a stroke of good fortune and good health, or a helping hand many of us get. Life just isn't always fair.
A very thought provoking write!!!! Good luck in the contest. It looks like a winner to me!!!
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Even here in Maine you see occasionally someone with a sign...it hurts and is a painful reminder that for every "have," there has to be a "have not."
Growing up I thought everyone was cared for, that the system worked for the benefit of all. I, of course was wrong. It matters not what wrong steps (if any) this man took to be where he now is...he's there and that is reason enough to help.
Excellent my friend! -
For me, your poem is not so much a poem but a study of the self or human nature. It offers me an opportunity for me to look inside myself, how I behave and interact with my environment. This is why I like it so much. A very thought provoking piece. Robi
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You have addressed poetically what so many prefer to pretend does not exist.
I grew up in a rural area and the idea of "homeless" was lost on me. I moved to a city as an adult and since I live in a temperate climate we have homeless people year around.
You took that chance and realized the humanity behind the rags. I like the story you have told and the simple (but not simplistic) way you have expressed it. There are times for metaphor and this is not one of them. Some messages need to be told straight out and you have done it well.
I like your turning line.
my heart begins to melt
I think that is what most people are afraid of, they might see something if they look.
susan -
Wow, pozo, thank you for such an indepth critique You know, I kept looking at the word begger, and knew itdidn't look right but couldn't figure out why...thanks for catching it. And your/you're as well. I abhore mispellings in my work and always appreciate it when anyone points them out to me.
As for your poem, I see why you use the words disbelieving bar, now that you've explained it, but it does make it rather difficult for the reader to comprehend what you're saying. Let me think, maybe I can help come up with another word
Mum
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wow, this is a very interesting write here, thanks for sharing this piece, keep up the awesome flowing poetry, you got a talents here...
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The first verse provides a sense of place ‘Arizona’ and introduces and describes the beggar man. I particularly liked the visual alliteration with ‘tattered’ and ‘threadbare’
The second verse shows what society would like- to turn away from those less fortunate. The word ‘begger’ is the only thing I disliked (spelling error, should be ‘beggar’
)
The third verse continues with the unsympathetic narrator. It seems to provide a dialogue between beggar and narrator, but there is none- the answer is merely the narrator’s internal thoughts. This is important since it symbolises the fact that although there seems to be communication about homelessness, there is not.
In the fourth verse, the narrator shifts opinion. ‘She’ (since I don’t have indication of gender I’ll use the less used one) changes her opinions when seeing him, and slightly pities him. The only thing I’d change here is ‘my heart begins to melt’-a bit of a cliché.
The fifth verse uses the natural image of the sun. This contrasts with the traditional image of the sun as a symbol of joy- the man is obviously unhappy. It almost seems like an ironic statement. I enjoyed the use of sibilance to make the line about the sun more powerful.
The sixth verse starts with the line: ‘we don’t know the circumstances’. This shows that the narrator doesn’t know, and neither does the reader, why he is here- it provides an element of enigma and goes against the start of the poem, now enticing perhaps not pity but certainly empathy for the man.
The seventh verse used assonance and internal rhyme: ‘one…long gone’ this emphasises the notion that something has been lost from the beggar, he is suffering because his family have gone. It also emphasises the fact he had a family, showing that he is just like the reader and the narrator except for his circumstances.
In the eighth verse, the first real interaction between the narrator and the beggar takes place. This is a smile, something free which everyone can give- symbolising the simplicity to help the man.
‘Your welcome to it’ should be ‘you’re welcome to it’. The ninth stanza shows the first real dialogue towards the beggar, one of giving. The beggar will never know the initial thoughts of the speaker.
The use of alliteration ‘light…love’ symbolises the positive side of this man. The man is symbolised as externally bad but internally good, emphasising the sorrow of this scene.
The twelfth stanza really makes this poem more powerful. It shows that this poor beggar could be God himself.
Keep writing, this is a great spiritual and sociological poem with good flow
Thanks for your critique. ‘disbelieving’ refers to the fact that they don’t believe the age, but she is risking going there all the same- is there another word for that that would make it clearer? (if so I’d like your help .)
All the best
AP daughter
Pozo
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Thank you,. I have to say, I wept a bit when I reread this after I finished writing it. Shame on us for looking down on those less fortunate. I realize that some of these people who stand on the median asking for handouts aren't really needy, but most are and who are we to judge them.
Thanks, Derick for your meaningful comment. It's much appreciated
and love
Dee
Edited on Apr 24, 1:06 p.m. because ''. -
Thank you for reading and commenting, blondone. I can only imagine what it must be like to not have a roof over my head, to live on the street, sleep beneath an underpass, and if I'm lucky enough, get into a homeless shelter. My heart really does go out to these people.
Dee
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No one know why some people can't ever get back to the way they were. for me the long journey back was hard, but hope and faith pulled me through. thanks for helping.I am doughjoe not blondone I forgot I was on her site. sorry
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Shahrzad, I just came from leaving a message on your author page, was getting worried because I hadn't heard from you lately.
Thank you for reading and commenting on this poem. It's much appreciated
Love and
Mom
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No one know why some people can't ever get back to the way they were. for me the long journey back was hard, but hope and faith pulled me through. thanks for helping.
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A wonderful poem, yup.
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That's right mom. We can never be sure of what made these poeple to lose their lives and wander in the streets.
A nice heartfelt piece.
Wish you luck in the contest.
Shahrzad
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aww. You made this poem really well. It's a very grand poem. The best part is is that it doesn't seem to shame those who treated the man badly. It more focused on the thought of oneself. Then there weren't any male or female personifications so everyone could think your thoughts and see through your eyes as to what you have noticed. I love this piece. Great work.
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