Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Hold on

I never noticed before how many people
Walk the streets alone at night
How scary they all look
This brotha here
Yellin' cursin' kickin'
Is that blood

Where are they going
Her with no clothes sweatin' so hard
Sista marchin' the midnight knife in her hand
No one ever said life was all bliss
What could have led her to this
Why won't they just go home
I can rest in peace

I met a thirteen year old girl on the street
Renting her body so she could eat
A part of me is ashamed to say
If I were only half the woman as she
I might do the same

Did you know that Denny's stays open
24 hours to everyone
Except those who have been evicted
Have no where to sleep
Can't even affort to buy tea

I never noticed before how long and dark
The night is
Can't even see the steering wheel
Front of my face
Someone tried to break into my ride
Now my back door will not lock

What did he want
Toothbrush I keep in the glove compartment
Blankets in the backseat
Dirty clothes in my trunk

I'll never know
I'll only close one eye
Sleep with my key under my thigh
No one will be tempted to
Drive off with my stuff

Did you know that Kinko's stays open
24 hours to everyone
Except to those who have no flyers to make
They have nothing to say
No where to lay
I think about the very low parts of the lives of
People with fame and wonder
One day when everyone knows my name
If I'll be courageous enough to
Tell them all of this

The world should never know
There have been times
I couldn't afford to eat
Had no where to sleep
My insides are so congested I keep
Attracting the madness that I am in
Had even justified sucide
The world will never know that I skated so thin

A dear friend of mine told me years ago when
My head was too hard to hear
When times appear the worst of all
To be of good cheer because
The lesson is near
But where
Come lesson let me learn you quick
So that I can move on from this mess

I never noticed before how many restrictions
There are to park on so many streets
I'll have to find somewhere soon
If I stop to get gas
I'll have nothing to eat
And where is the moon

Why do they call this a thrift store
When a demin jacket costs 24
Dollars are so few
This night is so cold
My sanity won't last long

These tears will only give me a headache
Put me to sleep
In my dreams I'll remember when
I was beautiful

I could stand tall and hold my head real high
But then that dream will turn to nightmare
Because I won't remember
When where why it all went wrong

Is this all a part of some great plan
I guess even Jesus cried too
How to I get back on my feet
When I pray does God hear me

I park the car
Reflect upon
Pieces of my life this puzzle
Somehow I will jigsaw my way through this maze
Now in the back of my mind
My Big Mama is singing
Amazing Grace will always be
My song of praise
I understand

If His eye is on the sparrow
He got to know me as well
I once was lost now I'm found
Was blind now I see

Now I'm lost again don't know
Where I'm supposed to be
I want this part of me to be that piece
I look back upon
Tell a crowd of youngsters at me feet
Hold on
When life appears
Most bleak
It will get better again
I remember when

1 comment:

  1. This continues to be my all-time favorite! Written when? over 22 years ago.

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