Re: Is it too late?

Virginia Sellner (wych@tcd.net)
Tue, 13 Jan 1998 16:54:06 -0800 

It is NEVER too late to put a poem like that out -- it really tells it like
it is.  Virginia


At 09:35 AM 1/13/98 PST, Bonnie Briggs wrote:
>Bonnie Briggs
>Hi gang,
>  It looks like I started a whole new thread with my note about my 
>e-mail anniversary. Oh well, it's fun to read. 
>  I know it's too late for a Christmas poem, but I couldn't find this 
>until today. So, I hope you will bear with me. I wanted to share this at 
>Christmas time. This is a poem I wrote a few years ago. It is based on 
>the Christmas song, "Pretty Paper". This is a fictional situation, but 
>I'm sure it happens. This type of poem is called a story poem. Hope you 
>like it.
>
>
>All alone he sat, on the sidewalk cold,
>Ragged coat, beaten hat, stooped over, looking old.
>
>He asked for spare change. For a coffee and a smoke. 
>Of all the people walking by, who thought him just a joke. 
>
>He was just another homeless guy, another bum on the street.
>On the street, he'll probably die, right at the Christmas shoppers' 
>feet.
>
>It's the time of good will to men, when, for all, we're supposed to 
>care. We hear that time and time again. Why then was he still there? On 
>the dirty side of town? Where does this man go? On his sodden way down? 
>
>Nobody knows about his past. Nobody knows his sad story. Why has he gone 
>down so fast? All the way to ruin from glory. 
>
>I came upon him on the sidewalk, and put five dollars in his hat. 
>Right about then, we began to talk, I joined him where he sat. 
>
>"Do you have a smoke?" he asked as I sat down. 
>Soon he was enjoying his smoke, there on the dirty side of town. 
>
>He told me the story of his life, about the trail of abuse and neglect. 
>How his "died" whe he lost his wife, how his family he began to reject. 
>
>He finally hit rock bottom. He had nowhere else to go. 
>Where the booze had finally got him. What now? he didn't know. 
>
>I said, "I know how you feel, helpless and alone." 
>"You need a bed and a hot meal, and someplace to call home." 
>
>"I'll send you to a good friend who will help you on your way."
>"And the bus fare I will lend, you go and see him today."
>
>"He runs the South-Side Mission, on the other side of town."
>"You talk to him, he'll listen. Get him to show you around."
>
>I gave him the change for the bus, and heartily shook his hand.  
>I thought, "he's the same as one of us, throughout this great big land."
>
>As I watched him go down the street, I wondered, "will he come back? 
>Will we ever again meet? on the better side of the tracks?"
>
>I realized it was getting late. I had to get to a Christmas party. I 
>hurried to make my appoints date, for eggnog and turkey hearty. 
>
>As I hurried on through the snow, I wondered to myself,
>"where does all our compassion go? Is it put upon the shelf?"
>
>At this Christmas time of year, 
>Let us think of those who are with us all the year.
>
>The homeless, the hungry, the destitute, who live on our streets each 
>day, Let us show them a better route, where they can find their way.
>
>It's Christmas time, do you care? Will you help another one?
>Come on people, show you care. Do what the Master would have done. 
>
>Just think, if that was you, sitting on the sidewalk cold. Wouldn't you 
>want some help too? Or would you rather die in the cold?
>
>
>                              -30-
>
>
>
>______________________________________________________
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>
>

Virginia D. Sellner - Wyoming Coalition for the Homeless, P. O. Box 1232,
Cheyenne, WY 82003-1232,   email:  wych@tcd.net.    URL:
http://www.tcd.net/~wych