Hope & Despair

THESE STREETS
by A Walking Storyteller

AS I WALK THESE CITY STREETS
I LOOK LONG INTO
THE EYES OF THE HOMELESS
AS THEY APPROACH ME

TOO MUCH PAIN
TOO MUCH SADNESS
TOO MUCH
MISERY

I AM NOT AFRAID OF THEM
NOR THEY OF ME
THEY DON'T SIZE ME UP
THEY SIMPLY LET ME BE

I CAN NOT LOOK LONG INTO
THE EYES OF THE BUSINESSMAN
WITH HIS BRIEFCASE
AS HE APPROACHES ME

TOO MUCH MISTRUST
TOO MUCH PAIN AND DISGUST
TOO MUCH INDIGNATION
HE ISN'T FREE

I CAN NOT LOOK LONG INTO
THE EYES OF THE STUDENT
AS HE WALKS HOME FROM CLASS

CELLULAR PHONES CLOSE TO HIS EARS
ATTACHED TO HIMSELF HE CANNOT HEAR THE ANGEL'S BLAST
NOR TOUCH THE FEARS OF THE LESS FORTUNATE
NOR SEE INTO THE EYES OF THE HOMELESS

I CANNOT COUNT THE NUMBER OF CANS
THE HOMELESS COLLECTS TO EASE HIS PAIN
I CANNOT WITNESS THE CHOICES HE MAKES
NOR THE ONES HE SELECTS THE ONES HE TRIES TO ERASE

SOMETIMES I SEE NOTHING BUT
CRUEL JOKES SCRAPS OF PAPER PACKAGED MOPE AND WHINE
OTHERS LEAVE BEHIND

PIECES OF PLASTIC WE COULD PICK UP
BUT WE DON'T
WHERE WOULD WE PUT THEM?
WHEN THERE'S ONLY ONE NEIGHBORHOOD

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE THINGS YOU DON'T WANT?
PUT THEM IN SOMEONE ELSE'S BACKYARD?
THERE IS NO ONE ELSE BUT US
EARTH IS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ITS ALL WE'VE GOT

WHEN SHE HAS ENOUGH OF US
SHE'LL DO IT FOR US
EVERYONE ON THE BUS WILL LOSE
SHE DOES NOT CHOOSE OR SELECT
WHO SITS IN THE FRONT SEAT
AND WHO MUST SIT IN BACK

THE HOMELESS THE BUSINESSMAN THE STUDENT THE TEACHER
THE PREACHER AND HIS CONGREGATION
YOU AND ME
AND ALL THE REST
WE'LL ALL GO UNDER
IF WE DON'T ARREST THIS MADNESS
THIS INDIFFERENCE THIS FAILURE TO GIVE OF OURSELVES
TO HELP EVERY SISTER AND BROTHER
HELP OURSELVES OUT OF THE MESS
WE'VE PUT OURSELVES IN

THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE WE HAVE
THIS IS THE SPACE WE INHABIT
THIS IS THE ONLY GRACE WE ARE GIVEN
THIS IS THE FACE OF LIVING

THIS IS NOT COMPLICATED
ITS NOT THE FROSTING ON THE CAKE
ITS NOT A DARK CHOCOLATE FUTURE
SOMEWHERE IN-BETWEEN THEREAFTER SUTURE

ITS THE WHEAT AND FLOUR OF NOW
FROM WHICH THE CAKE IS MADE
WITH WHICH IT IS BAKED
WE BLEACH IT WE LEAVEN IT
WE SANITISE IT WE BLEED IT
WE MAKE IT ALL WHITE AND PRETTY
INSTEAD OF LEAVING IT WHOLE!

THERE'S NOT MUCH LEFT ONCE THE GERM FROM THE WHEAT IS REMOVED

THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH MEAT IN THE STEW ON THE TABLE
THE REST IS GARNISHMENT
WHAT ARE WE TO DO?

WE KNOW WHAT WE HAVE TO DO
WE MUST GIVE EVERYONE A LITTLE PIECE
OF OURSELVES
MAYBE CINCH THE BELT AND EAT A LITTLE LESS
MAYBE ACCEPT A SMALLER PORTION AS SUFFICIENT
TESTING OUR WILLINGNESS TO SHARE WHATEVER WE'VE GOT

FOR SOME ITS NOT A LOT BUT I HAVE TO SAY HONESTLY
I'VE BEEN GIVEN MORE FROM THE HOMELESS
THAN FROM EVERYONE ELSE COMBINED

THESE ARE THE THINGS I OBSERVE AS I WALK THESE CITY STREETS
FOR ME THEY ARE LINED WITH THEIR OWN KIND OF GOLD

NOW THE TIME OF THE YEAR IS AUTUMN
AND THE LEAVES ARE FALLING TO THE GROUND
SO FAST THEY DO FALL
FASTER THAN THEY CAN BE RAKED UP
I TAKE THIS AS A GIFT NOT A NUISANCE
THOUGH SLIPPERY SIDEWALKS AREN'T MY CUP OF TEA
THE CITY FATHERS SAY THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY
TO SWEEP IT ALLUP ITS THE TREE'S FAULT ANYWAY TOO MANY LEAVES

WELL I DON'T SEE IT QUITE THAT WAY
I AM GLAD THEY LEFT THE TREES' LEAVES ALONE
I LOOK AT THE COVERING OF THE LEAVES ON THE GRASS
AS A REMINDER TO THEM THEY NEED TO COVER THEIR ASS
MAYBE A CLEANER PAIR OF IDEAS
ABOUT THEMSELVES AND THE TREES
IF THEY INTEND TO STAY ON TOP OF THESE THINGS

STAY CLOSE TO MOTHER EARTH'S INTENTIONS NOT YOURS
ANIMALS AND BIRDS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO DO IT
SMART ENOUGH TO MAKE A HOME IN THEIR BRANCHES THEIR TOP PRIORITY

MOTHER EARTH CERTAINLY HAS THEM IN MIND
WHEN SHE MAKES UP HER PLANS THEY WERE HERE FIRST
EVEN WHEN SHE HAD THE BLUEPRINTS OF CREATION
STILL ON THE TABLE
TOGETHER THEY FIGURED OUT WHAT TO DO
WE WOULD DO WELL IF WE JOINED THEM
INSTEAD OF IGNORE THEM

THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS I LEARN
WHEN I WALK THESE CITY STREETS

NOW THERE WILL COME A TIME WHEN I NO LONGER CAN WALK
THERE WILL COME A TIME WHEN I CANNOT TALK
THERE WILL COME A TIME WHEN I NO LONGER CAN WRITE
BUT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE TIME FOR ME TO PEER INTO THE PIERCING LIGHTS

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE TIME FOR ME TO HEAR AN ANGEL'S SONG
THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A TIME FOR ME TO PRAY
LONG INTO THE NIGHT
THERE WILL ALWAYS BE TIME TO LISTEN
TO WHAT THE CHILDREN ARE SAYING
WHILE THEY PLAY
SPEAKING OF SIMPLE THINGS A HOP SKIP & A JUMP
SWINGING ON SWINGS

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE TIME TO HEAR A BLUEBIRD RHYME
MELTING HER WORDS INTO THE CHORUS OF THE SKY EVERY TIME
SHE OPENS HER MOUTH

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A TIME WHEN I CAN SEE BEYOND THE LINES
WHEN I CAN DANCE WITH THE DOT
WHEN I CAN LANCE THE SWORD
UNTWIST THE KNOT

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A TIME WHEN I CAN REST MY WEARY BONES
TO RISE FOR THE OCCASION WHEN THE TRUMPET CALLS ME HOME

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE TIME TO CHERISH MY MEMORIES
WALKING THE PAVEMENT OF THESE CITY STREETS
ONCE MADE OF DIRT INSTEAD OF CIMENT
YET MY SIDEWALKS ARE STILL AS SOFT AS LOAM
FOR I CAN RECREATE THEM IN MY MINDSET

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A TIME WHEN FRIENDS GET TOGETHER
WHETHER ON THIS SIDE OF LIFE OR THE OTHER

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE ROOM FOR YET ANOTHER OCCUPANT
IN THE HOTEL OF WELCOME
THE SPIRITS HAVE PROMISED EACH AND EVERY SISTER AND BROTHER WHO REACHES THE DOOR
AND TURNS THE KNOB
AND WALKS IN WITH HEAD HELD HIGH

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE REJOICING

THIS I DO BELIEVE EVERY TIME I WALK THESE CITY STREETS
LINED WITH THE GOLD THAT WAS SPUN FROM
THOSE WHO LIVE THERE

AHO!