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

Poem

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Collins Avatar
June 18, 2012 at 7:32 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
Wesley Avatar
June 17, 2012 at 7:15 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
Britt Avatar
June 17, 2012 at 1:45 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
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