Simple

She forages freely, 
no conscience at all; 
hunger stabs at her gut 
like a knife keenly sharpened. 

Picking through garbage cans, 
fish-stix and foie-gras, 
the deep pangs of hunger, 
the depths of despair. 

Alone in the city 
she's wasted and care-worn, 
wishes someone would notice, 
loose change would be nice.

Simple's her name, 
and her disposition, 
she's lost all of her spirit 
panhandling for handouts.

An urchin with no dreams 
and people who don't care, 
she's wretched and feeble, 
just curl up and sleep now.

Garbagemen find her, 
she's yielded to fate;
the medics are summoned, 
they're simply too late.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2012


Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Date: 6/18/2012 7:32:00 AM
Heartbreaking, Keith. Where are the answers? where are the brother's keepers? Where am I? It is all so complicated and the reality goes on and on. love, Kathy
Login to Reply
Date: 6/17/2012 7:15:00 PM
It's a sad truth that there are people who are hungry in our midst let alone other places in the world. It seems the price of food has sky rocketed and all we need are a couple of famines to create havoc. Hungry people are not pacified with words and I feel it will be more widespread in the future. A timely piece Keith, we may see it in our lifetime! Love, Elizabeth
Login to Reply
Date: 6/17/2012 1:45:00 PM
VERY very upsetting... but people haven't cared. Some of the same people hurt by this story are the same people that pass up people like her <3
Login to Reply
Get a Premium Membership
Get more exposure for your poetry and more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Reflection on the Important Things

Member Area

My Admin
Profile and Settings
Edit My Poems
Edit My Quotes
Edit My Short Stories
Edit My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder

Soup Social

Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us

Member Poems

Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread

Member Poets

Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest

Famous Poems

Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100

Famous Poets

Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War

Poetry Resources

Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter