Poem: The Price

sitting on the curb,
roller bag of all she owns
beside her, she looked
up into his eyes and saw
salvation
he seemed kind
he offered her a hand
a place to stay
she thanked him
following to sanctuary
there is a price
for sanctuary
women with no means
so learn
not to trust
his house
his sofa...
they have nothing in common
they sleep together
it's all she has

(c) 20 April 18

Poem: New Clothes

He walks into the room

Stops, eyeing my outfit

“I’ve never expected to see you

In anything like that,” he says

“That’s the point,” I laugh

“I took a risk”

As I walk across the parking lot,

A homeless woman

Leaning against the wall calls out

“Ma’am, ma’am! You look

Fabulous today!”

She’s here, most every week

For breakfast, a shower, a new set of clothes

She notices I look different, somehow new

Later, a coworker says to me, unasked

“You took a risk and it worked!

Good job.”

At my desk, I feel different

Watching the homeless woman

Bounce away in new sneakers, smiling

Buttoning the jacket she did not have

When she arrived

©16 November 2015