Rhyme-N-Reason: August 2006: Archives

August 21, 2006

Eden's End genre: Econ-Recon & Rhyme-N-Reason & Six Degrees of Speculation

I wrote the following poem, Eden's End, some time back after focusing on the many people one sees on the roadside with signs asking for money because they are without work or homeless or any number of other reasons. I've read articles that a number of these individuals actually do this for a living. I've also read that many of them are in fact homeless and suffer from addictions or mental illnesses. There is a tendency to assume the worst and doing so usually provides the rationale to ignore their requests and drive on without acknowledging their presence.

The other day I was driving around and came upon a stoplight at which a young woman was standing with a sign that simply said "Need Help". What caught my eye was the fact that she was wiping tears from her red face as she stood on the corner. It looked to me that she must have been crying for a while. I was in the second lane and I watched a car ahead of me in the lane closest to the curb roll down the window and hand her some money. While I reached for my wallet, the light changed but I was determined to give her some money so I remained stopped as she ran towards the car while avoiding the traffic. I handed her the money and she thanked me profusely. I said good luck and moved on.

It made me think about this poem and this photo I took while in Vienna. They seemed to be a perfect match for this posting since we often hope others will see us and see our need for a kind word or a warm smile or just an acknowledgment that we exist. In a world that is often cold and callous, it’s a shame that those in need are often overlooked. I'm reminded of the images from New Orleans during Katrina. Perhaps we should all be more mindful of those in need.

Store signage in Vienna - 2004

EDEN’S END

Alley ways and cardboard castles
Vagrants vanquished by life’s hassles

Treasures kept in grocery baskets
Empty lives to fill the caskets

Jacked around, Jack Daniels downed
The story’s broken, without a sound
Lying motionless on the ground

A message scribbled to get a buck
Hungry and homeless and out of luck

The passers by eat their apple pie
The American dream drives on by

Heroin highs, while the heroine cries
Darkness dwells, where once were eyes
Death is hidden in life’s disguise

Crack the window, give them five
You did your part, and off you drive

Raise your glass, let’s have a toast
You looked around, you did the most

The beggar begs, you beg their pardon
Just turn your head, the heart will harden
The seeds are dead, and soon the garden

Daniel DiRito | August 21, 2006 | 11:20 AM | link | Comments (0)
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