*****
yes they are
giving up ninety percent
of their nine hundred dollar checks
for a roof and heat
yes they are
eating
trash
yes they are
routinely
giving up their bodies
their safety
their dignity
their basic human rights
for the
privilege
of remaining
yes they are dealing drugs
yes they are stealing
yes they are selling
their grandmothers
down
the river
yes they are
lying
to get references
yes they are
forbidden
to burn even incense
forbidden a guest
more than fourteen
nights
a
year
yes there is
a master lock
behind the front desk
yes they will
have to pass a breathalyzer test
to get into their own “home”
yes their friends
must display id’s
before coming up for coffee
yes they will
be listening
to one another’s boom boxes
hiding in wait
around corners
for each other’s harm
screaming threats
screaming tv’s
screaming fishwives
craving their
jeremy springer
moments
and
no
they will not
be writing
poetry
*****
Among us, poets are not paid. The poet/editor of this website, being physically disabled, lives at a fraction of her nation’s poverty level, and currently lives in her vehicle. Become a patron of the fine arts by making a donation at: https://www.gofundme.com/are-you-a-patron-of-the-arts
*****
Timeless Classics 