Jessica
Absolutely Desperate
He stands at the freeway off ramp, shaking
his painstakingly printed cardboard sign. I watch
his faded red t-shirt billow in the breeze, wonder
which two words I would stand behind every day.
***
Unfortunately, we have a lot of homeless folks in Minneapolis. I say unfortunately, because I wish we had better systems for preventing homelessness and hunger in our city. I say unfortunately, because I know I often ignore their presence, except when I am confronted with their existence, when they sit next to me on the bus, when they panhandle at the freeway off ramps I frequent. I say unfortunately, because I feel powerless to help them in any meaningful way. So instead, I try to acknowledge their existence and the common qualities I share with them.
***
This micropoem is part of A River of Stones International Small Stone Writing Month, hosted by Fiona and Kaspa. The goal of the project is for participants to create one small stone (a recorded moment of mindful observation) each day in July.
