From Scattered Seeds of Thought

Once I Saw

SLAM!  (18+) Spring 2006 SLAM! - Congrats to the winners - see you all next time! #554585 by Cappucine

The SLAM topic was one time I saw...

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Once I Saw

         A woman clad in mismatched rags
         Shuffled towards a fast food clerk,
         In dialogue with an unseen host.
         Her fist was clinched with coins she’d found;
         On the counter, she plunked them down.


         The server’s mouth grew an ugly look
         As the odor of unclean sent its stench.
         But the waitress plopped down a Styrofoam
         And the street woman took up the cup,
         Her hand a quiver of inner currents,
         Her discussion heated and loud.


         The woman poured her coffee,
         Then poured some more atop.
         Sugar rained 'til it spilled all over,
         And still she poured, discussing it all
         With the silent voice of her mind.


         She carried the coffee to her seat,
         Her body a hobble, the drips a line,
         The debate never once abating.
         As she in a booth by herself
         While others ignored her,
         Trying not to see in her eyes.


         She seemed not to notice
         That everyone watched her
         Watched the party inside her head.
         For she ranted; she whispered.
         She offered full debate
         Although no one ever once replied


         Who was this woman
         In the street-cast clothes?
         How had she fallen to this,
         A crazy, a destitute,
         A hermit of dreadful oddness?

         somehow I can't get her out of my head
         And I ask myself on many a day
         As I carry on with my chores.
         What would it take to turn ME away
         From my day-to-day kind of life?

         To live on the street collecting small coins,
         To reek of unlove and distress
         To sadly hear only the voices inside?

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