Home » Poems » Jennifer Proxenos » The Unfortunates

The Unfortunates

How many lonely and despairing Yearn for a little love, a splash of caring. They learn to grasp, How to survive, extremely fast. They use their time to sit and ponder, What lies ahead for them up yonder? A half collapsed bridge, a hail storm, Or a torn thin blanket! Today their leader stole a trinket, Bought two loaves, three tins of bully beef, Does not care he’s become a thief. So depressed they are, think not of fear Would long to share a heartfelt tear, How many times, labelled an outcast, Lost all contact with family from the past. Warmth, hope and love is all they need, Why are the wealthy full of greed? Can they not learn to share? Would this not be fair? Escaping from this earthly hell These desperate humans Their souls do sell, For coke, ecstasy and weed, Like a withered dying seed, Becomes their desperate only need, Might even kill, to this addiction feed! A young boy’s empty look seems quite insane, His tear streaked face weaves paths of pain, So depressed, hungry and poor, But God comes knocking at their door. One of the wealthy greedy men, Despised himself, he left his den, Brought food, blankets and loads of money Alleluia man, this will feed many a tummy!

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Michelle Faulkner

Date: 10/10/2019 5:34:00 PM

Such an astute observation, you have quite the skilled pen, Jennifer-

Jennifer Proxenos
Date: 10/11/2019 7:45:00 AM

Thank-you Michelle, guess my muse prompts me, you know how they are, the love taking the credit! Thank-you Michelle for an apt and relevant comment - it seems that at every street corner we find two or three people begging for food, I would say that at least 80-90% of this planet's population are living beneath the breadline! Scary - maybe a worldwide revolution could one day find momentum and spread to every continent and island! Hugs, Jennifer

Carolyn Devonshire

Date: 10/8/2019 12:59:00 PM

I wish I knew why the wealthy often seem "full of greed." Too many young people fall into the habit of taking drugs to ease the pain of loneliness. I like the way you have one wealthy man ready to share those things people need to survive. Maybe there is hope for others. Well don, Jennifer! Excellent writing. Hugs, Carolyn

Jennifer Proxenos
Date: 10/11/2019 7:29:00 AM

Hi Carolyn, The more the rich make, the more they want! There are more millionaires and billionaires in the world than there have ever been. The poor are multiplying at the same rate, only there are far more, disproportionately so! Thank you Carolyn - a kind and wonderful comment. Hugs, Jennifer

Lindsay Laurie

Date: 10/8/2019 12:40:00 AM

G'day Jennifer … it's like two worlds divided by a line that appears to be getting wider all the time. Do some rich people become richer by supplying drugs to the underprivileged? And then become leaders in society - a sad verse indeed, but will told Jennifer - thank you - Lindsay

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 10/7/2019 7:26:00 PM

Sign of our times too, Jennifer. Poor getting poorer and poorer. It's all pretty scary and drugs makes it even worse. Great imagery in your lines, Jennifer.

Richard Lamoureux

Date: 10/7/2019 7:04:00 AM

There are more poor than rich Sotheby’s rich are in a precarious position. Hopefully it won’t result in Violence.

Jennifer Proxenos
Date: 10/7/2019 8:25:00 AM

I think the French revolution will be looked upon as a picnic - due to today's media, any revolution the poor do instigate, will be international! Hugs and blessings Jenn.

Carolyn Devonshire

Date: 10/4/2019 2:15:00 PM

When times are rough, there are many who abandon their quests. I agree with Vijay that your poem has many great lines. My favorite is: "His tear streaked face weaves paths of pain." What powerful imagery. Well done, Jennifer!

Jennifer Proxenos
Date: 10/6/2019 10:50:00 AM

Hi Carolyn - you have such an elegant and regal aura around your poetry and comments - full of substance, totally true to life, factual and absolutely apt. Thank you my dear friend, I do value your comments immensely! Hugs and blessings, Jennifer.

Caren Krutsinger

Date: 10/4/2019 9:26:00 AM

Read Regina's comment and know that it is more like what I wanted to write than I knew how to write. So Regina's comment and ditto.

Jennifer Proxenos
Date: 10/6/2019 10:44:00 AM

Thanks Caren for your valued comments (even the ditto one) and your continued support. Hope you have a full week of poetry writing ahead of you. Hugs and blessings. Jennifer.

Anne-Lise Andresen

Date: 10/4/2019 7:39:00 AM

- The world is unfair, my friend - A wonderful and important poem - Thank you for posting this - I wish you a lovely weekend :) - hugs // Anne-Lise :)

Jennifer Proxenos
Date: 10/6/2019 9:28:00 AM

Sunshine Smile my beautiful friend, thank you always for your brilliant comments - it is an unfair world I quite agree and it is only getting worse. Hugs and blessings, Jenny.

Regina Mcintosh

Date: 10/4/2019 7:21:00 AM

2 Corinthians 9:6-15 - Scriptures tell us to be generous and I LOVE your poem.. We can learn a lesson from it. You're a precious soul. Bless you always, With love, Gina

Jennifer Proxenos
Date: 10/6/2019 9:22:00 AM

Thank-you Regina, you are a joy, so glad you joined Poetry Soup - I enjoy the gems you pen also Regina, each one better than the last. Your comment was awesome! Hugs and Blessings, Jennifer.

Vijay Pandit

Date: 10/4/2019 7:00:00 AM

WOW! You gave them a voice with your superb write. So many lines of love, care, and some hope. So much intensity my friend in these lines: Their souls do sell, For coke, ecstasy and weed, Like a withered dying seed,..and so real life. Excellent write, Jennifer.

Jennifer Proxenos
Date: 10/5/2019 2:35:00 PM

Thank-you Vijay - I see here in South Africa, more and more homeless people appear at crossroads and traffic lights - they become so desperate, they will kill for a watch - so sad life has come to this! Thank you my friend for a brilliant, awesome comment. You always make my day. Hugs and blessings, Jennifer.

Alexis Y.

Date: 10/3/2019 10:30:00 PM

WoW! Jennifer, What a heartfelt and moving write. If one has more than enough (wealthy) why not help the less fortunate. It was nice to see the character in your story get shown kindness. I enjoyed the read my friend:-) Alexis

Jennifer Proxenos
Date: 10/5/2019 2:18:00 PM

You can recognize kindness Alexis because you are kind. A lovely comment my friend, I'm glad you enjoyed the read - so many out there all over the world that are homeless, cold and hungry. Hugs and blessings, Jenny.

Richard Lamoureux

Date: 10/3/2019 10:10:00 PM

This is a sad one. To those who much is given, much is required. Sadly their are many with much who are really greedy. This poem causes one to take pause. Hugs Rick.

Jennifer Proxenos
Date: 10/5/2019 2:29:00 AM

Perhaps it only takes a handful to get the ball rolling Rick, we can only pray that this happens because the rich are getting richer and the poor poorer and never the twain shall meet - one day in the future there will be bloodshed! Thank-you for such an apt comment. Hugs and blessings, Jennifer.

Bobby May

Date: 10/3/2019 9:36:00 PM

Jennifer, this one got to me so many in this world in need and they look the other way as if they don't exist. What a great heart you have my sweet and kind friend!!

Jennifer Proxenos
Date: 10/5/2019 2:11:00 AM

Thank-you for an awesome comment my friend - unfortunately the poor exceed the rich by far in numbers and personally I think in years to come this situation will become worse until a worldwide revolution takes place, it will at that point be the only recourse to take. Hugs and blessings Bobby, Jennifer.

Gordon Mcconnell

Date: 10/3/2019 3:55:00 PM

A lovely piece Jenny, beginning with despair and lostness but ends with hope and compassion. An excellent one with good rhyme and flow. Blessings and hugs, Gordon

Jennifer Proxenos
Date: 10/5/2019 2:04:00 AM

Thank-you Gordon -this was a poem I wrote in 1980, but just gave it a nip and a tuck! I'm so gad you enjoyed this poem and my Pure Fantasy, has a follow up episode being posted later today. Your comment is very kind thank you Gordon, Hugs and blessings, Jennifer.