
Photo by Susan Koenig
In the murky gloom of the tenement,
I crouch in the mud shade of life,
on the margins; out of sight, out of mind.
Huddled in my corner of existence.
Surrounded by meager possessions,
for comfort; my home.
Reaching out, I touch my bags and boxes.
My “stuff”; reassured that they exit,
that I exist.
**
The shade sounds
are the silence of perceived failures.
Failures not deliberate, but
simply due to happenstance.
The alley reeks of a life not well lived.
**
I see you walking by,
in the sunlight of your superiority,
with your looks of scorn,
as if you never disappeared
down the path of despair.
**
You think I’m a bum
with my unkempt clothes,
dull eyes filled with hunger
and tinge of a stink.
Just an emaciated, raggedy shape in the corner.
As invisible as another piece of
dirty back street refuse.
**
You think I have no education,
just another ignorant derelict.
**
I had a life like yours:
job
wife
kids
house.
**
The accident was bad,
could not work,
could not pull my weight.
The pain pills helped.
Then became necessary,
even when the pain was gone.
**
She left,
took the kids,
lost the house,
out on the streets.
The mission was chaos.
**
So here I sit;
watching you walk on by,
in the sun of a life well lived,
blind to my existence in the shadows.
**
Where coldness hovers in the shade
emitting a chill straight to the soul.
**
This is my story.
It could happen to you.
Should you lose yourself
in the shadows of the alley.
***
Last week colleen spoke of giving back to the disenfranchised especially at this time of year.
We all dream. Every one of us. The fear is that our dreams will turn into nightmares. When life doesn’t go the way we dream that’s when the state of widdendream enters the picture, resulting in even worse choices. One requires the stone face of a gargoyle to shovel past the pigeon poop and allow our dreams to shine.
***
written for Blogophilia 40.6 Topic – A Dream and a FearBonus Points:
(Hard, 2 pts) Use a Widdendream – confusioin mental distrubance – mad fit fury
(Easy, 1 pt) Include a gargoyle and a pigeon
Indeed! Indeed! I especially like the last line. *Nodding agreeably* Yes, I especially like the last line! 8 dreamy points, Earthling!! 😀
–Marvin Martian
thank you glad you enjoyed
Eloquent and powerful indeed.
Thank you
So sad.
so sad and so common
very deep and real Sue…
life in the raw.. we all see it and walk on…
**there, but for the grace of God, go I**…
compelling ode Sue.. hard to read and hitting home with a punch!!!
an amazing write love… loved it.. 🙂 xxx
thank you. this is an older piece that carries its own history
Very gritty – great approach to the prompts
it was more with Colleen inspiration last week and appropriate for the season
rings in so much truth and sadness but speaks to our hearts!
Thank you very much
Deeply moving Sue. A sad sad fact of life.
thanks Sharon
I remember this!! Thank you so much for reposting it… it truly strikes at my heart so deeply, Sue. You have so eloquently taken us into the soul and the pain of one who had it… and lost it all. Very powerfully done! Thank you….
Thanks – I knew you’d appreciate it
Very nicely done 🙂 I liked the broken accident was bad / could not work.
Hey you – thanks very much
I mean, it is not like the person who walked by and saw him, actually said anything rude or hateful, or kicked him…