does every crack,
in the asphalt,
carry blame for your bad back,
the shame,
when you walk to get attention or
in a penchant break a law,
your bruised
leg shows you break, but still you are
not broken,
that spirit pushes on ahead,
is anyone who loves you surprised you
are not in jail instead?

the skin peels and cracks
after you have removed the cast
at last you can wear shoes again,
standing folded in half
as you scrape at your skin,
you may have once
been thin, but you are
older as life has been
so hard,
the clear bag beside you
has empties,
that will be cashed by him and he may give
you your due,
but maybe not.

the purse and the contents are upside down
like you are, scattered are the many things
you treasure,
your body paid the price, so
your hand could pass the cash at the till,
your hair looks clean,
black is a good color
on you and the lipstick is to die for, did
you miss a spot or two?

your guy was seen up the road, he has
made a mountain
of all the valuables, you
call home, and he alone decides what is
to be kept,
the shopping cart and recycling bin
are full,
afterall he pushes and pulls them around,
and what fuels him ain't cheap.

so where do you go from here and
when will you rest, what is sleep,
will it be a mattress, or under the
trees, please take care of you both
please, he is hard hearted, and it is
mostly plugged, see that color of his
face, it is not good, you just think he
is angry all the time, and the time
he has left, he will be that way,
as it is what keeps him alive.

know not what to do,
rack my brain,
answers not found
with common sense,
what is best,
is this a test,
that you are just
like me another
thread in this
fabric we call
living the life,
we are both
labelled threads
"we are
who we are
called to be",
don't like that
answer nor do I,
I'll take
Street Life for $1000
on Jeopardy,
maybe with luck
it will be the Daily Double.

There will be an
answer for us both.