Man --- it f****** stinks in here
in here, in the streets
it really reeks of
messin' with your mind
foolin' yourself
stretchin' the not-so-honest truth
It just be what they call

HOMELESSNESS

houselessness without the heart
a lowdown dirty, dirty shame
and when you point your finger
seems like no one's to blame
and everyone's to blame
till there's no blame
and it stays the same

Damn --- it really f****** stinks in here
in here, in the alley
where the rodents welcome you
with open paws and jaws
and the roaches ---
they still be comin'
some with blueteeth, others with eye pods
with hi definition jobs carrying disease and rage
at greater than minimum wage
(a lot more than I'm making . . .)
they be comin' with their portfolios
cover letters and resumes
all shiney, clean in their
tiny two-piece suits
and tiny multi-task shoes
while the
rest of us play chess
in the park by Xmas lites
(and it's not even Thanksgiving yet . . . )
They wanna clear the park, I bet
so the tourists can's see us ---
smell the sweat in our
dirty Niki's
our stained white Starter Jerseys
(ain't that sick...and they talk about Michael Vick . . . )
what he did may be criminal
but what
they do is more than a crime . . .
It just be what they call

HOMELESSNESS

residenceness without compassion
a fashion they wear like Versace
to cover up their frozen souls
the coldnes where it counts
(God don't like ugly)
a trend they embrace like season tickets
to a team that's never won a game
on the ice or
off
it's all just a game
and we're getting played
like yesterday, last week
tomorrow, next month
still the same
Man --- it smells like s*** in here
in here, in the parking lot
behind the dumpster filled with
the leftover nobody wanted
the mistake that almos' was
the 30 left of the 40 oz.
the burning ash of a crab unfurled
pearled as an oyster alive in its shell
lonely as hell --- as we
like slaves waitin' for a Moses come set us free
It just be

HOMELESSNESS

disoccupancy --- like a pink slip
the local police call vagrancy
(kiss my %#&@$!!)
'cause you could be here
too
a brew in one hand your
you-know-what in the other
trying to get a buzz
(or something close...)
something to curl your toes
like they used to
not blue like they come to
the mind withers into

MINDLESSNESS

as the heart fights the will of

HATEFULNESS

and

HOPELESSNESS

we keep smilin' through
the deep-dish smell of the
earthly hell of

HOMELESSNESS

so you can stare
shake your heads
and try not to follow.