The Hopelessness of the Homeless

He is so angry; school is the least of his worries.
Sad are his days; he is nine.
Grandma wants to kick them out; step grandpa hates them
aunt hates them
everyone hates them
they have lived in and out of shelters.
been kicked out - he and his three year old sister
along with their mother who hates a lot of people.

he is on his mother's side.
he gets angry if things are pointed out too succinctly.
I believe my mother, he says when asked if he heard grandma
say she is kicking them out.
defensive, angry, a concrete wall, 
built to keep him safe,
to keep his sadness inside

the floodgates are not about to open.
he makes sure of that.
never let them see your tears, his mother says.
I may have to live under bridges.
but you cannot come.

you will have to live with your dad.
you will be homeless, and he will not want you,
but it would not be fair to take you with me.
i will be so homeless.

hopeless, homeless, rejected, dejected,
his anger comes out at school, classmates loathe him.
not realizing what he has to do to cover up his sadness.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2018

Poem

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Kiser Avatar
December 15, 2018 at 7:42 AM
So many end up building walls for many reasons; being unwanted is horribly painful. You evoke a lot of emotion with this poem.
Krutsinger Avatar
December 15, 2018 at 12:50 PM
It is so sad, and so true, and so so so so so so heart-wrenching, especially at this time of year.
Nance Avatar
December 15, 2018 at 7:02 AM
aw sad situations, :(
Krutsinger Avatar
December 15, 2018 at 12:50 PM
Yes, it is so sad. Some of the children I meet have lost hope by the time they enter school as a three year old preschooler.
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