On gutter’s edge he takes a rest as good a seat as any.
Silent as the cars whip by, so hurried and so many.
He lights a half spent cigarette from the embers of the last.
A one eyed squint through eyebrow hairs crazy, thick and vast.
His matted hair is long and white a wire twisted fray.
His dark skinned face awash with sweat like moistened lumps of clay.
Beside him is a trolley full of portable possessions,
a plastic bag of nicks and knacks and random strange obsessions.
The cheeky child in backseat bored whilst waiting for the lights,
a poke of tongue and snigger proud at the poor and lowly sight.
But far from ill affected, or anger born within,
with dignity he tips his hat, affords a toothless grin.
He understands his wayward place, of vagrancy and squander.
No illusion, no pretense nothing left to ponder.
His days were once so different, a garden, home and wife.
A job to do like any man before the war of strife.
Pictures, thoughts a slide show, colours warm in love.
He doesn’t blame the outside world, he doesn’t blame above.
It’s just the spin, the roll of dice, the story he was spun.
It doesn’t help to feel regret what came and went is done.
So ask a seat beside him, an idle chat or smile,
or in your thoughts put on his shoes and try to walk his mile.
It only takes a lightning flash of heartbreak or rejection
and in the mirror staring back a vastly changed reflection.
Stop your busy hurrying, your medial complaining
in silence pause, appreciate the kingdom you are reigning.
The wealth in life, the precious things are sharing love and laughter
and sleeping sound with tummies full with still more left for after.
Abundance here is just the norm, it’s utterly expected.
We rarely think in any form to what others are subjected.
Desire breeds desire, more and more consume
and wanting more than neighbour even when there’s no more room.
Once treasure, time converts to trash, we groan in messy clutter,
and as we drive some to the tip he watches from the gutter.
So judge him not yet you be judged for gluttony and waste
and stop to thank for all you have and where in life you’re placed.
In a list
A contest entry
- Lovely long lines by cricketjeff.
1800 points, ended March 5, 31 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Round 1 Are you good enough? by DarkShard.
900 points, ended March 31, 41 entries
Silver trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 13 of 13
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APPLAUSE!... ANCHORE!
(That was a standing ovation by the way.
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This is just so spot on, and the wake up call so many need these days. You have penned this with such attention to detail, both descriptively and thoughtfully. The child poking his/her tongue out of the car window was so appropriate to capture the apathetic and ignorant mentality of the general public in regards to the homeless. Even more so, as this is a child doing the deed...our next up and coming generation.
The response line...
"with dignity he tips his hat, affords a toothless grin." is just gorgeous.
The whole poem read exceedingly well and kept my attention throughout. You have captured my own thoughts on this subject to perfection, it was a pleasure to read...Alby
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Truth? I have always hoped you would find this one and share your thoughts. I don't really know why but it was one of those writes that just seemed to flow... almost wrote itself. I love it when that happens.
Thank you for reading what is a very long poem (for me) knowing you enjoyed it... well it makes my day... you are my poetry mentor after-all.
Thank you Alby.... so glad you liked this.
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This is really touching... So well phrased!!
(And the reason why I always give change to homeless people...)
Well done!!
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No, No.. you are meant to notice how many lines this poem has and decide not to read it.
That's how we do things here at AP
I REALLY appreciate anyone choosing to read this because it really does take a bit of time to do so and I am rather personally proud of this one too. It was the first long line rhyme I ever tried to write.
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Haha!!
Pffft... I've read longer...
(*jokes*)
Once I started I couldn't stop!! It's fantastic!
But I will remember that rule from now on...
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only an hm. well cricket jeff in an idiot lol
joke. this is gold worthy.
so I shall say nomore becasue everything was PERFECT! second round you stroll and can't wait to see your next poem.
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Superb!!!
Perhaps the meter is slightly less exact in places than some other entries but what the hell!
This is REAL long line poetry, story-telling in rhyme and meter of the highest order, are you sure you aren't an ancient bard?
I shall be reading more of you
Thanks for this great entry
Jeff
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What can one say? This is such an excellent poem and you pack just about everything and the world in it-deserves a Gold I think.
Hilly
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Merveilleux ...
and remarkably well done. Suggestions would be hard to make for this. The only one I could think of would be "lest" instead of "yet" in the next to last line.
In any case, you're done an excellent job with this, and there's no need to nitpick anything I'd say. I wonder why I never get entries like this in my contests?
Oh well, keep writing anyway.
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What a lovely, feeling poem. Sounds like a person I would like to get to know. I like how you got inside his mind, how he smiled at the child and understood why he was made fun of. This was a charming, sensitive write about a very touchy subject.
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A beautiful write... very thoughtful. I'm glad you drew it out as long as you did and, with writing like this, I could've stuck it out another couple o' pages!
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ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!
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Gift From God
This is one of the finest poems I've EVER read.
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