The rough sleepers
keeping diaries of
near misses and
misadventures
staying alone and alive
living on their wits
eschewing assistance
except
from the social and
the occasional good
Samaritan.

Jesus plays his part,
free tea in the park
meals at the mission
seems god is fishing
for converts,
but
It's hard to believe
in a better life
when you have no life
and you gave your last smoke
to someone poorer than you.

I imagine me
outside
the British library
reading Burns
and who's to say
We
could be that rough sleeper
you passed today
reading
Burns
taking turns
to write in the diary.