On the corner of the street
where my road meets the mainstream
there are people everyday
holding up signs of begging
what does this mean?
so many things to me…
my mind is torn in a thousand places
behind the same old cardboard signs
I’ve seen a thousand faces

Does this mean that we have failed them?
does this mean that they have failed themselves?
has America’s “Official God” failed them?

And should I help them?

You know, I’m on my way to the bank
to fix another “screw up” of mine
with money that I’ve borrowed
so I can buy myself some time (ha!)
and I don’t have any cold hard cash
just a check and a dollar in dimes
so do I give them to her sweetly
or would that insult her and make her hate me?

I guess they are all different
although a part of the same “social group”
like I’m a man but I’m not so “easy”
because I refuse to stoop

would the beggar truly believe me
if I said I have no loot?

I am stumped on this one mister
and you can’t say you’re not either
I don’t care if you’re a scholar
I don’t care if you’re a minister
because you don’t know anymore than I
when it comes to the points that matter
all your fixes for our tortured souls
have become annoying chatter

You know – I’m getting fatter
and it kind of freaks me out
but not the point of crazy
I think it’s from these prescription drugs
or maybe I’m slightly lazy
I’m a little hazy on the topic
and a little prone to tangents
but can you relate the thoughts together
are you capable of linking it?

You know, this world is bullshit
so do I admire the illiterate?
for reminding America of it’s fuck ups
and for calling us out on being ill legit?
sometimes it’s hard to take it
I know so many of them fake it

but…

I’m looking at her sun burnt lips
the gleam on her face, and then her tattered shoes
the light turns green to refresh the scene
and the sea of scrap metal starts to move
I hand her my change and a blue-eyed farewell
and as I hear the track change
the tiny laser skips the grooves.

©2000 Joshua Swaim

 
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