--It's been too late for long--

Just in the dark
looking at a clear sky
finding a spot where stars
don't twinkle.

But the sound of interstellar gas
is almost understood
through tired roaring ears.

Down the quiet seeming path
under road where
the forgotten hide during long winter nights
hoping to make it until dawn.

Toes and fingers numb
breath sticking to lips
and strangely eyebrows
where icicles hang
adding dragging weight
making it hard to hold open eyes.

Shivering in worn clothes
holding yesterday's newspaper
stuffed down legs and arms
around back and chest
for holding a little bit
of warm in.

May be making it until day.

Half dreaming of warm coffee
and a stiff chair
in corner of cafe where one will be
ignored until warm enough to move
without the pain from nightly cold.

Rub hands starting to numb
with thoughts of warm coffee
to sustain over late hours of night
where mostly quiet,
and the sounds of distant Freeway
are ones companions keeping harmony
with cracking sounds of thickening ice.

Sitting in back corner under bridge
where won't been noticed much
on piece of dirty concrete
not too damp using knapsack
to hold head up. With lateness
and blood shot eyes
exhaustion will win out for an hour
or two
letting me sleep fitfully for a while
with nightmares of frozen warmth.

To jerk awake
shaking wondering where you are
feeling tingling in fingers
toes long since numb
at least they don't hurt.

Waiting for predawn light
the walking limping and pain
will remind that life is.

Already scrapped enough money together
for a couple of cups of coffee
and a order of toast with
lots of jam or jelly and butter oozing off.

That'll keep one going for hours
and hours
before the hard chore of finding
a day job that gives enough
for a meal
a shower and
with luck enough left over
to pick up
worn socks
worn slacks
and an old tattered sweater
at a thrift store
is all one will ask
of today.

                By: David E. Howerton
                [12/21/2005]



Email: David E. Howerton




Copyright (c) 2005 David E. Howerton