paper bag child, from mary draws from silence, by rick mobbs
i live in fear, of ending up,
a bag lady someday..
cause i’ve been there
and i know i am,
just one paycheck,
and a kind old man away..
from finding myself
alone and cold,
huddled on a corner somewhere,
with no food, no clothes, no shelter,
and no one left to care..
but then i think,, at least i know
i live no grand illusion,
i’ve done it before,
and i have the skills,,
i am not sheltered and disillusioned..
i do not believe
that it could not,,
ever happen to someone like me.
because i know,
i am not in charge,
of the unseen powers that be..
i foresee a vast awakening,
as we turn families into the street.
as we foreclose on homes,
they never should have owned,
and watch their children
sleep in the street..
i believe, a lot of people,, will
have to suffer needlessly,
because we have learned to live,
outside ourselves,,
and measure a (wo)man,,
solely-
by the things that we can see…
May 31st, 2008 at 6:55 am
This is beautiful, heartfelt and so very sad and true.
May 31st, 2008 at 7:25 am
well said–good poem from this art as you have laid it on the line
May 31st, 2008 at 8:03 am
I read this a couple of times to take in the emotion expressed within. It’s beautiful yet tragic.
May 31st, 2008 at 8:10 am
Very telling and true. The artwork is amazing too.
I changed your links on the SIMPLY SNICKERS blogroll.
Blessings,
Linda
SIMPLY SNICKERS – weekly poetry prompts
May 31st, 2008 at 8:58 am
paisley, you have never been so terrific nor, do I believe you will ever again write, for me, a more profound piece of poetry than, ‘bag lady’.
May 31st, 2008 at 9:24 am
I love how this starts in the personal then broadens to include the whole world. An awesome poem!
May 31st, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Profound and familiar. I know the woman on the street.
May 31st, 2008 at 12:22 pm
kunjubi says:
Paisley..”.i do not believe
that it could not,,
ever happen to someone like me.
because i know,
i am not in charge,
of the unseen powers that be..”
What an eye opener. at last a great realisation!. We are only puppets….
May 31st, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Such a strong piece, the way you have shared your own experience to bring life to a headline on the evening news.
May 31st, 2008 at 2:24 pm
I’ve had that same fear since I was about 18. I’ve been fortunate in that it never made its way into my reality. I tend to blame the mortgage brokers who preyed on people’s dreams of what could be. It was indeed unconscionable.
May 31st, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Awesome work!
May 31st, 2008 at 3:21 pm
An Insightful and thought-provoking poem.
May 31st, 2008 at 5:04 pm
paisley,
And it could happened to each and any of us in the blink of an eye.
Sometimes I think it preferable to the current circumstances.
rel
May 31st, 2008 at 7:19 pm
What a powerful piece of writing ~ from intensely personal to an outright challenge to all who believe it could never happen to them.
Gemma
P.S. Thank you for visiting my new blog, AuraGem Songlines! Unlike Greyscaleterritory, it will just represent passing reflections combined with my pics.
May 31st, 2008 at 7:34 pm
Hello, Paisley. Another fine poem. I really liked the drawing, Mary draws from silence, but see the joy in the drawing that somehow shows also in the poem in the strength of the narrator. I want to ask why shouldn’t the people have good housing? Why should anyone fear living on the streets? Your poem challenges the reader to look at a larger community and understand the fear, the hope and the sadness, perhaps even to protest such conditions.
May 31st, 2008 at 7:56 pm
We’re conditioned to expect only good, without ever being warned of possible consequences of our (are they really ours?) ambitions.
May 31st, 2008 at 9:06 pm
realistic view of just how fragile we all are.
beautifully expressed Pais. ♥
May 31st, 2008 at 9:40 pm
I like what you have done, too. I know very well I could end my days pushing a decorated shopping cart through the city streets and parks. There but for the grace of God go I.
June 1st, 2008 at 1:16 am
I have always always felt very strongly about homelessness and done what I can to help with charities and so forth but at the same time been angered because in countries of plenty NO ONE should be sleeping rough. Being very home-oriented, it terrifies me, literally, and breaks my heart, especially the number of mentally ill people who are living rough because they have no space for them in facilities. Good write, Jodi and I want to use that image too, it speaks to me in a different way.
June 1st, 2008 at 5:36 am
Hey I just wanted to suggest a book, you interesting in reading “Tibetan art of living and death”, as I read this poem, only thing I could think was chapters from this book
June 1st, 2008 at 7:25 am
Hi, so true – this could/can happen to any of us at any time – it’s later than you think..
June 1st, 2008 at 7:37 am
This story is everyone’s story. I know it could happen to me almost overnight. It could happen to any of us as long as our governments continue to fail to develop proper social programs. What has happened to us as a society? Are we about to fall into chaos? Sometimes it feels that way. An incredible piece. One of your best!
June 1st, 2008 at 9:14 am
What a gnawing fear that must be. Inside every pleasure the knowledge that it could all disappear without notice. Sobering.
June 1st, 2008 at 10:02 am
The fears of the times. And usually, when economic downturns come, it is those with the least who survive best.
June 1st, 2008 at 3:13 pm
These fears are not unfounded. You’re a survivor, it’s those who’ve never been to the other side that will suffer most! Dissuade these thoughts as much as possible and replace it with some faith! Decide not to be a victim of this train of thought!
Hugs Sherrie
June 1st, 2008 at 3:55 pm
very sad…and very close to home….
June 1st, 2008 at 4:15 pm
This is well put paisley – people should learn to live within their means and protect their families. I know this is happening all over – the thought of families on the street gives me heartbreak – too many depression day stories from Grandpa I suppose….
June 2nd, 2008 at 3:55 am
“because we have learned to live, outside ourselves,, and measure a (wo)man,, solely- by the things that we can see…”
isn’t that the truth. this economic awakening is now forcing many to look within and see what they are truly made of….because it is in the struggles of life that we learn of the capabilities we have to survive and finally become grateful for the things we once had and took for granted.
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:01 am
This is a great poem, so honest and true. The sounds flow so well. This piece touched me in how true and open it is.
June 17th, 2008 at 6:42 am
[...] whypaisley, her poem, Bag Lady, from the image posted [...]