The disenfranchised, deprived of the right to sleep under their own roof
haunted by the past, decisions, both good or bad, that landed them here
entitled to weep in silence among angels, tears of innocence
denied the relief of a second chance, this life without reason, proof
intelligent life does not exist here on earth or the universe
sentient beings feel their way in the darkness, shadows to the mere
enable the harm, given with authority, hurt with no defense
needless suffering, welcome to humanity, trauma and distress
forget to notice the downtrodden on the streets in Black Star Converse
read the newspaper on the train, line the boxes to keep warm at night
autumn approaches, holidays in the city, Thanksgiving gives nought
nothing but sinkholes into poverty as fate, prescribed as a right
caustic prognostic, the future as a design on a Windsor knot
haute couture meets mere, paint the town, little, black dress, throat slashed, I confess
innocence disrobed, runway model on a train, chase me, catch me shoes
shrug your shoulders, meh, another murder downtown, tell me something new
experience speaks, a fortress of solitude, silence, crimson streams
delight in blood sport, hunt in vain the city hind, whoso list to muse
dirty dumpster dive, the search for half-eaten food, simply to survive
enter the freegans, living on the streets by choice, they prefer the view
privilege to act not from responsibility but adventure, dreams
recounted since youth to pretend to be homeless with a bank account
interest compounds down the sinkhole of charity, no investments thrive
visions of beauty, a city reconstructed to consider care
empty of neglect, possibilities persist to raise big questions
dedicated stars allocate funds to reflect where a billionaire
obtains to refrain, penthouse to pavement, cleft hoof, for suggestions
forbidden to meet the cripple in a wheelchair, five piggies to count
tautologies sound the same argument on truth without certainty
honesty robs banks unimpeded by their work, a true inside job
egocentric hands shake, away from prying eyes, over backroom deals
restless molecules break apart under pressure, your kids, certainly
insolent and rude, socially unattractive bulldogs with long jaws
ghosts of parents past gather together in pairs with corn on the cob
held in grubby hands children enter the world breech, bottoms up, time peals
tinkling golden bells, tintinabulation rings four-bells carillon
twinkle the few stars visible with city lights, pollution weaves gauze
obscured by coal dust, charcoal hides the firmament, constellations sleep
sound asleep each star twinkles through the particles, light shields with a dome
light bends, particles bounce back down in refraction, waves watch the stars weep
energy emits a limit to travel past, beyond the sea foam
endless oceans break on the shores of battlefields, en passant, a pawn
profits unaware the consequences, actions unresolved pursue
unencumbered thoughts while the homeless sleep on vents to stay warm, as heat
naturally rises from pipes beneath the pavement, rough sleepers persist
deprived of privilege, the world ignores basic needs, give justice its due
entitled leaders pay no heed what beggars need, capital unkind
remind the wealthy the health of a nation rests asleep on the street
trust politicians to beautify the city,
the wealth, they insist
held tight in pockets, reserved for infrastructure, potholes in the road
employ construction all year round except winter to face the snowblind
infrastructure quakes, rattles, splits apart, tumbles
rumbles the belly, the mayor always the beast, to upset the peace
officer on call, off-duty defends herself, a man who mumbles
who stumbles downstairs, falls atop the officer, who shoots, cannot cease
no footage to see, off-duty officer, armed, silence of a toad
remember to let the seeds fall where they decide, who controls the past
orders the players to direct their own actions as marginal notes
of the book of life, the disenfranchised, to have their say, requires votes
for politicians to notice sorely deprived people, stones to cast
