Lower East Side
Driving downtown - too much traffic on the highway - detours - alternate routes - all roads lead through the lower East side. Who cares? Everything you need is on the lower East side. Rent-A-Tires and Fix-A-Flats - Used Cars and Cash Cars and Loans Guaranteed. Discount Caskets and Discount Liquor and Eastside Marble and Granite needs a 12 foot fence and Eastside Humane Society needs detergent. Put on your Red Slippers and Lounge around or Dance Nightly at Cliff's Place if you need fun.
Go deeper and the Salvation Army sings for the salvation of your soul while Gladys wants to fill your stomach with her Soul Food next door if you can bum some cash. Veteran's Assistance hands out army boots and camo jackets to keep you warm and dry. Thinking of moving into Tent City on the side of the hill? Someone will hook you up with tents and sleeping bags. You can survive. Police don't care - they look the other way. Just don't let your fire get out of control.
There's an ambulance at the Mission. Malnutrition? Dehydration? Schizophrenic episode? Knifing or shooting or fist fight? Suicide? Depravity? Exposure? Survival? Who cares? No one is at the Temple of Praise. What do you have to praise about? They aren't serving a meal right now. Stumble and fall from the curb - tires screech - get up - keep walking.
Walking and walking everywhere. One armed and one legged - just one more day. Carrying treasures in plastic sacks or well-worn shopping bags. Pushing found grocery carts and pulling wheeled luggage. Laughing - storytelling - crying - yelling. Delirious - angry - afraid - ashamed - vulnerable. Who cares?
Two legs and thighs only $1.99. Who cares? You can get three breakfasts if you hurry from Mission to Army to Temple. Unleaded is $2.95 a gallon. Who cares? Who has a car? Bus stops here. No bus fare unless you ask someone. Why do you need to ride the bus? Everything you need is right here on the lower East side.
You've got a plan to get out of the sun today. You've got a spot under one of the bridges where you can watch the cars pass while you doze. You never have to work. Easy life. Why do people drive slow and stare as if they are looking for you? What do they want? Cheap laborer? Cheap thrill? Familiar face? Missing person? Red lights and last chances. Cold - wind - heat - rain - snow. Life on the lower East side. Who cares?
I have no idea how to feel your pain and yet I weep just the same.
Isaiah 41:17 "The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the LORD will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
Matthew 25:42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' 44 "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' 45 "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
Amy
Go deeper and the Salvation Army sings for the salvation of your soul while Gladys wants to fill your stomach with her Soul Food next door if you can bum some cash. Veteran's Assistance hands out army boots and camo jackets to keep you warm and dry. Thinking of moving into Tent City on the side of the hill? Someone will hook you up with tents and sleeping bags. You can survive. Police don't care - they look the other way. Just don't let your fire get out of control.
There's an ambulance at the Mission. Malnutrition? Dehydration? Schizophrenic episode? Knifing or shooting or fist fight? Suicide? Depravity? Exposure? Survival? Who cares? No one is at the Temple of Praise. What do you have to praise about? They aren't serving a meal right now. Stumble and fall from the curb - tires screech - get up - keep walking.
Walking and walking everywhere. One armed and one legged - just one more day. Carrying treasures in plastic sacks or well-worn shopping bags. Pushing found grocery carts and pulling wheeled luggage. Laughing - storytelling - crying - yelling. Delirious - angry - afraid - ashamed - vulnerable. Who cares?
Two legs and thighs only $1.99. Who cares? You can get three breakfasts if you hurry from Mission to Army to Temple. Unleaded is $2.95 a gallon. Who cares? Who has a car? Bus stops here. No bus fare unless you ask someone. Why do you need to ride the bus? Everything you need is right here on the lower East side.
You've got a plan to get out of the sun today. You've got a spot under one of the bridges where you can watch the cars pass while you doze. You never have to work. Easy life. Why do people drive slow and stare as if they are looking for you? What do they want? Cheap laborer? Cheap thrill? Familiar face? Missing person? Red lights and last chances. Cold - wind - heat - rain - snow. Life on the lower East side. Who cares?
I have no idea how to feel your pain and yet I weep just the same.
Isaiah 41:17 "The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the LORD will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
Matthew 25:42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' 44 "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' 45 "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
Amy
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