Homeless

I state the obvious
winter is a cold time
frost attaches to everything
like leeches
it sucks the warmth out of you
cocooning the life force of things
until they are reborn
I constantly dread this time of year

I walk the streets
with no fear
no fear of freezing to death
no fear of taking my last breath
on a park bench
literally watching the life
go out of me

No fear of going without meals
days, upon days, upon days
I do not know how it feels
to go hungry
I just do not know how it feels
to be homeless

No fear of not having a place
to rest my head
searching from alley way to alley way
underpass to underpass
box to box
the wet cold that comes from laying on the docks
a pillow of rocks
no covers as death hovers
over the unfortunately homeless

my fortune is that
I have not suffered this plight
what must go through the mind
when faced with such struggle
society blind to this struggle
I struggle
walking by those homeless

I constantly dread this time of year
it is no fear of the cold
the wind or snow
but the fact that I know
I will do nothing for those homeless

Like cancer or aids
I do not want to catch it
a scarlet letter
branded on the forehead
this is the mentality that helps sustain it

Myself- ashamed; wearing my own letter
myself- complacent; accepting society's blindness
myself- homeless; living an empty existence
maintaining the status quo