The American Dream

On the sidewalks of the city
and some back alleyways
There’s another population
with vagrant empty days
And just outside the city
underneath a busy bridge
there are other people dwelling
and some of them are kids.
Their shelters are of cardboard
under which they sleep
where rats are freely roaming
and hungry roaches creep.
Where Mothers lie awake and cry
for turns their lives have taken
and overwhelmed by circumstance
they feel alone, forsaken.
For some from depths they cannot rise
and though their looks are sullen
If you look inside their eyes
you’ll see a heart that’s broken.
Where to go, which way to turn?
They’ve lost all self esteem
Is this the life they’re meant to live
Is this the American Dream?

©Vrd 7/26/2001

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