Frank F. Atanacio Poet Dramatic Verse

Life Is Sinking

In order to stay alive,
she had to be as sly as a fox,
as she lived in a cardboard box,
controlled stress,
an old mattress,
dirty old clothes,
a book or two,
as hunger shows,
dirty water for drinking,
while death is floating, and life is sinking,
those images stuck in her head,
and people who saw her
called her a corpse even before she was dead,
society continues to evaluate,
delegate,
isolate,
then eliminate,
but that’s all they do,
they aren’t alone,
and the subway station was her home.

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Laurie Ginn April 23, 2009 at 6:35 AM Dang and I was in such a good mood. You ought to write travel guides to the cities. Amazingly poignant.

L'Nass Shango April 22, 2009 at 9:00 AM Brother, do you see the tent villages growing ... when the prognosis is done many are left to wither inthe sun. You are a great humanity ... and this contribution is awesome.

Charmaine Chircop April 21, 2009 at 10:43 PM the first two verses are interesting to be sly as a fox to survive and to live in controlled stress,sorry i commented again but i reread and those verses have a powerful message to me----charma

Charmaine Chircop April 21, 2009 at 10:40 PM the levels of society,the poor eleminated by the middle class and high class societies.the subway station was her home-i won"t eliminate these people,they re one of us and im just a little bit luckier to live better,im glad you reminded us here of people like these,out hungry cold facing death whilst we are sleeping profoundly under our covers-bravo dear Frank-bravo

April 21, 2009 at 4:22 PM Powerful way to convey this social problem--heartbreaking to have people on the street when there is so much wealth in the world. The vivid imagery conveys your thoughts in a creative way. Thank you for sharing your timely poem with us and for your kind comments. Karen

Carrie Richards April 21, 2009 at 3:32 PM It is so heart breaking to know this could be a scene from cities across the land..sad subject...so well written, Frank.

James Marshall Goff April 21, 2009 at 1:45 PM a voice in the wilderness Frank, nicely done...Jim

Robin Maughan April 21, 2009 at 11:37 AM My heart aches as I read this... I have been in the NYC subway,, What an awakening... so many people ...alone and hungry but mostly alone.. Well done my friend, Hugs, Robin

Diane Christian April 21, 2009 at 10:58 AM A well written poem this happens to many people left to their own defences, it is sad at our church we get a few homless people come in for a coffee and a donut or small cake we treat them the same as all, One person I have known almost 19 years and i always hug them every week they not homeless now but is alcoholic due to a bad life but we still tell him hes special we should show love and compassion to all people , God bless you from diane

Christopher Higgins April 21, 2009 at 10:33 AM I saw this so many times when I was in NYC. There is a story behind all those souls who reside in those boxes...there are many who lost their way because of substance abuse or they got homeless due to mental failures or losing a job...the stories are endless...enjoyed this alot.