The Whiskey Taster’s Flavor Guide

A Cup of Iced Coffee

This is a tale of the haves and the nots
Which I witnessed in front of my face,
A question of simply connecting the dots,
For it happens all over the place.

A woman was rummaging deep in the trash -
She was homeless, or so it would seem –
And extracted, to drink or to add to her stash,
An iced coffee, half-filled, made with cream.

Did she drink it? Not sure, but it made me aware
Of discrepancies glaring and wrong
For whoever did toss it did really not care
Since it cost him not more than a song.

But to her, what it meant (though of course I can’t know)
Was a drink she could never afford
For the way of the world means the nots (this is so)
Are just naturally shunned and ignored.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2020

Poem

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Watt Avatar
July 3, 2020 at 6:08 PM
Thanks for this compassionate write, ilene. It's a good reminder to let no one be invisible.
Krutsinger Avatar
July 3, 2020 at 6:34 AM
It is amazing, but some people are cellophane; others see them not at all.
De Beaulieu Avatar
July 1, 2020 at 12:25 PM
Hello Ilene , yes the homeles are shun. This is true. I feel for the homeless woman. Haved a nice day my friend.
Rigoler Avatar
June 30, 2020 at 8:40 PM
This is sad and typical even where I love, Ilene. Some people (mostly elderly) are natural rubbish pickers. There's a large blue dumpster in our parking lot and a few women with flash lights survey the inside of the dumpster looking for things either for themselves or to sell elsewhere. Hope this never happens to me. / M
Wolf Avatar
June 29, 2020 at 7:27 PM
At least this scavenger hasn't given up; she's still "scraping by." ~ Gershon
Blown Avatar
June 29, 2020 at 2:54 PM
nice write....one way to save your cold coffee (no cream) is to top it off with coca cola....mmmm, carbonated dark roast three sugar and an espresso shot...… stan sand
Leffanta Avatar
June 29, 2020 at 2:07 PM
When I lived in Paris, I daily observed an elderly woman begging in a doorway wearing newspapers for shoes. When she finally died, they found money stashed everywhere in her room, i.e., a quite well-off "professional" woman. So what you see with your own eyes may not necessarily be true! Aloha! Rico
Allison Avatar
June 29, 2020 at 2:02 PM
this is so sad to observe on so many levels Ilene:-( hugs jan xx
Cunningham Avatar
June 29, 2020 at 1:56 PM
We have to count our blessings when you see things like that Ilene. Tom
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The Whiskey Taster’s Flavor Guide
Book: Diverse Voices: The Poetry of Human Rights and the Pursuit of Peace