This is the season to be thankful for our blessings. Remember, there but for the grace of God go we. It is something I have to keep reminding myself of. As the song Thank You Lord says, "It could have been me outdoors with no food and no clothes."
Bag Lady
Bag lady,
Bag lady,
Every day as I drive by
You always catch my eye
The load you carry is too heavy for you alone
You’re only skin and bones
Yet, there you are walking the street
With worn out shoes on your feet
I have seen you brave the cold and the scorching heat,
But you never seem to concede to defeat
I have seen the angry rain
Plummet your small frame
I have seen the wind send you in an aimless twirl
As if it’s you against the world
Bag lady,
Bag lady,
I know you are tired of struggling on your own.
How much longer will you be able to hold on?
I ponder your history.
Do you have family?
What is your name?
Who is the blame
For you being where you are?
How did you end up having no home and no car?
Do you only own the clothes you wear
And the bags you push around everywhere?
You peak my curiosity
I can’t help but admire your tenacity
And your capacity
To keep holding on
When everything is gone
Bag lady,
Bag lady,
I worry for your safety
Out on the streets
And wonder
Whether or not you have enough food to eat.
I pray.
I pray
Because even if you won’t concede to defeat
It’s got to be hard waging a battle against the streets.
I know there will come a day when I’ll look for you
And you’ll be gone,
The load you carry is too heavy for you alone
One day soon things will unravel,
And that will be the end of your travels.
You will be replaced
By another homeless face
That will catch my eye
As I drive by
Leaving me to ponder
And wonder
Once again,
Until another story comes to an end.
Poem, Bag Lady taken from Matters of the Heart
By Patricia Newman-Harris copyright 2010
By Patricia Newman-Harris copyright 2010