Jane

I am featuring this because of the severe winter weather happening in most of the USA I thought about this last night when the temperature dropped to 12 degrees~ 'She forgot who she was"..

 

 

 

She walks the streets
no shoes adorn her feet
bare
bruised
rough, calloused

She finds solace in an
old suitcase
it holds all her belongings
she treasures them

A book of poetry
a purple silk scarf
a comb with most of it's teeth missing
like it forgot to visit the dentist
and
a picture
little girl
blonde
blue eyes with
a smile that lights the darkest rooms

She knows of dark rooms
she lives in darkness
she had a flat but her job
well, her job let her go
so the man said, "Get Out"
she tried to get another job
"we're not hiring", they always said

After a time , a long time
she forgot her name
now,
well, now
she roams the dirty boulevard
and wonders who she is
and how she got here
she wonders who the little girl is
who's smile lights the darkness in which she lives

People sneer at her
laugh, point , stare
a woman with faded blue eyes
dirty blond hair
in Salvation Army rags
they laugh
they make her feel
'uncomfortable'
they call her
the bag lady
among other names

Sometimes she cries
though she is used to it
her stomach gnaws with hunger pains
as she searches the trash and dumpsters
for a crumb
just a crumb
one crumb

The man at the bakery watches her
his heart is not hard
he calls her
she doesn't hear him
because
she doesn't want to

She knows what he wants
laughing
sneering
pointing
she walks past

Some nights she sees Angels
they call her name
"Jane"
"Jane"
"Hello Jane,
do you know
someday you will inherit
this Earth"?

Someday isn't soon enough for
sweet Jane
someday needs to be today

"Jane, don't cry",
they say
"someday"
"someday"
"someday"

"Please", she whispers
"help me find my way home"
"please", she cries
"let me be visible again"

She feels so alone
she is alone
but when she looks at the faded photograph
her heart feels lighter
the world
brighter

She coughs a lot
her house leaks
her nose runs
her stomach aches with hunger pangs

The Angels visit her every day now
"Jane, someday is now"
"Are you going to show me the way home"?

"Follow the light Jane"
She feels warm for the first time
in so long
the feeling is surreal
the light radiates throughout her
filling her,satiating the hunger
cold, loneliness

In the distance
beneath a tree of
fragrant blossoms
by a stream as clear as crystaline crystal
sets the little girl
"Mommy", she cries
"You finally came home"




 

Author's Note

I am glad I wrote this one on wordpad.. people need to be aware of this ... and not all homeless are drug addicts or alcoholics.. most are people like you and me .. it is said most Americans are one paycheck away from being homeless.. it could happen to any of us!

Reviews

[Lionel Braud]

this poem has a lot going, it is a narrative poem full of heeartache and hope, and has a harsh sense of realism, contemporary urban realism, lot of rhymes and off rhymes, slant rhymes, good use of dialogue, not many use dialogue, robert frost did, this incorporates lots of poetic styles.

[Eric]

Beautiful work. However, I must tell you that I wondered the entire length of this poem what book of poetry she chose to carry with her? I would buy that book just to read what she read.

[Davia Lynn Bradley]

very sweet and sad, I simply loved it. and you should lave the statistics in. this is the type of poem that might one day make a difference. you should hang on to that, and maybe post it in other places as well, so more people read it.

[The Random Writings Of ..]

Can you make me cry again? This is so sad, you write it with so much emotion. Just an ordinary person, you tell it like it is. You show here how one can become so unfortunate at just the drop of a hat. You are right, count your blessings and be grateful for what you have, because one day that can be taken all away. We so often take the little things for granted, the things that may not be so plentiful for others. This piece is a eye opener and it makes me cry. You are so right. Thank you as always for your truths in your writing.
Much Love,
Kates

[Lyra Day]

I am moved by this. Those that know me well know I am passionate about trying to get people to realise what they have. I live in a third world country where poverty is common place. nothing makes me angrier tan those who are ignorant because they want for nothing. I appreciated this piece.. thank you!!

[Cheryl Ann Welch-Davis]

A powerful piece you have written here, especially with the postscript you added. Our planet, this earth is too well populated with people living lives in desolation.

Well done.

[Bernie Shelton]

ok, I admire you for writing such powerful poems, this is strong, in your face poetry that should be read by a much wider audience.
Bernie

[Jo Love]

Okay, that does it. I never wanna' hear from you that you can't write! If you do, I'm gonna' make you read, re-read and read this poem again. It's a beautiful poem, moving and inspiring and real. Writing is rewriting and I suggest you rewrite this one to see how you feel about it later. This probably poured out of you, like anything does when it's this good. Try to make it better...not that you can, not that you need to, not that it's lacking, but try. See where that takes you. I could be wrong. You just need to be this free, pure and commited in everything you do (Don't we all?) and success and happiness are yours for the taking.

The last part? F*****g genius. Separate thought. Make it something else. It may and probably inspired you or the stats did or whatever, but you have another great one in your head girl, let it flow.

This stuff is coming through you and that is an incredible gift. Recognize it, respect it and don't ever, ever, restrain it.

And, hey, thanks for sharing your voice with the world. You make it a better place. Don't stop, please?!

[|:x: Butterfly :x:|]

chloe... you write so beautifully.
and about stuff that rele matters.
i wouldnt be surprised if one day your writing changed the world!

[Rain]

Chloe..
I would leave the stats as a trailor. You touched me,and that is how simple it is to know if a piece is good. Your compassion also shouted from every sentence. I am proud to know you. Great piece. Rain

[Alexandria Leffler]

That made me cry a little. Very good.

xoxo