Homeless America

The stench of human
degradation,
homeless America,
can be found
on the San Julian side door entrance
(in Los Angeles)
of the Union Rescue Mission.
Praise God!

Where my brethen,
your countrymen
walk around in Nike,
Reebok,
and other name brand
foot attire.

Where the complaint is not
about the chicken dinner,
but the lack of BBQ sauce
or the gravy
on that chicken dinner.

God bless America!
Praise God,
For your purple mountains majesties.

This is not Calcutta,
where Mother Teresa
gave her life
to feed the real poor of this world,
and not the mentally ill.

Are we sick?
And who are these
that do proclaim
that it takes 12 steps to be healed…
…in the name of Jesus!

Does it?
I don’t know.
Am I sick?
Or am I just riddled with
toxic shame (that’s a clinical term, you know),
brought on by my refusal
to acknowledge
how I think
or what I’m feeling.
May God have mercy
on my soul,
too.

I don’t know about you,
but as for me,
I thank God
for the land of the free.
This American standard of living,
where our homeless walk around
in name brand foot atire,
and lick thier fingers because
they just finished eating
a chicken dinner.

How's that for poverty?

© 2000 Michael C. Teniente in Los Angeles, CA.