Hearts On The Street

Hearts On The Street

Kaleidoscopic lights of red, amber, and white
reveal the dingy streets and illuminate the night.
The slowly passing men look on a pasted smiling face
but cannot see her eyes that track her fall from grace.

In a small apartment nearby, her children are in bed
but no one watches over them, Mom's on the street instead.
And even though the hour has gotten very late
she smiles and greets each passerby with "Lookin' for a date?"

The dreams of youth have shattered, in the intervening years,
on the shores of broken promises and disappointed tears.
Time and circumstance have finally come to mesh
leaving her one option: Money for her flesh.

The grasping hands, the dance of skin, in cars and alleyways,
have not dimmed the love she feels, have not dimmed her gaze
toward a future where her kids can escape their destined role.
These momentary degradations cannot touch her soul.

And so she walks along the streets, a woman in disguise.
The weight of her world in her hands, reflected in her eyes.
And with each offer shouted, she feels the taunting darts
and proudly bears the burden of her children's hearts.

Early in the morning, she slowly climbs the stairs
and enters into their world – a place that's free of cares.
She tucks in her sleeping children and gives each one a kiss
and transforms into Mother as though nothing was amiss.

In countless replicated scenes, hope remains alive...

Notes

Too often we're quick to judge others without understanding or empathy. I'm not condoning anyone's choices but I do hope that each of us will not judge others without a compassionate heart.

Thank you for reading my words... Please, take a moment and leave me a comment - your thoughts, reactions, criticisms... all are equally welcome.

Ken