(Grateful acknowledgement to Ona Kingdon for her wonderful, watercolor artistry)
In the autumn season of my life, I’m on a personal journey to understand certain inequities I’ve seen personally since my recent move to the big city life.
As a small town girl that went to university in Toronto in the 70’s and returned home, homelessness was not in my vocabulary. I experienced living on meager means, some struggle and having to make wise grocery choices. I worked as a waitress for extra money, but always had the monetary support of my parents for my schooling. I was privileged and blessed to have enough. I still have enough.
I only saw homelessness as reported in the media, but not in person, until now. It shook me to the core of my humanity and my belief in government.
Waiting can be difficult for anyone; waiting for a dream, waiting for an answer, just the uncertainty of waiting, but waiting for a meal or a bed to sleep on is unfathomable. My heart goes out to them.
Flowing tear for them
Nameless, voiceless, forgotten
Waiting for solace
(Image of homelessness by Lee Jeffries)
I’ve twined my piece with Ron’s Challenge and dVerse Haibun Monday #29:Waiting
Stuff and what if... 
So sad and so unacceptable~
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Yes, a very sad situation. 😦
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It can really take you for a loop…
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It certainly can, Marissa. The sad thing is that it’s a complicated issue to solve, but it takes government will.
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I suppose. Very used to seeing the homeless growing up in the city and hanging out in Manhattan. They are part of the street life.
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Our homeless don’t entertain and aren’t part of street life. They are just sad to see. 😦
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That’s a shame.
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You are right Olga, homelessness up close can be very confronting…thanks for sharing your haibun haiku..
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Homelessness comes in many shades, but when it’s close you see the jaws below. It sounds like a terrible situation
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To see signs for help on multiple street corners is disconcerting. To walk into a coffee shop and see poverty in the washroom is chilling. It’s new to me.
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I share your sentiment – homelessness is totally unacceptable – one of the results of capitalism I suspect.
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It certainly is an ugly aspect to the face of capitalism. 😦
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I suppose one could more easily find a place to sleep as long as one gets out of the way of foot traffic, but “waiting for a meal” is not as easy to resolve.
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The whole poverty issue is not easy to resolve, but there is hope in the initiative of four countries in the world. https://thinkprogress.org/four-countries-the-united-states-can-look-to-when-fighting-homelessness-a2a43e2cc396#.scpg4rdu8
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There but for the grace… not long before my daughter’s fourth birthday, her father walked out on us for another woman. It only lasted a few weeks but he didn’t come back and we were left in a rented flat that I paid for but the lease was in his name. The landlord wanted to evict us and I didn’t have a leg to stand on apparently. We were offered B&B accommodation by the council but that wasn’t a route I wanted to take as I had seen what it did to families. Luckily I found a housing association that could help and we got a little flat and survived. But I know how easy it is to fall into the abyss of homelessness. And it is mainly in cities – I don’t see it in the countryside.
I totally agree with your words: ‘Waiting can be difficult for anyone; waiting for a dream, waiting for an answer, just the uncertainty of waiting, but waiting for a meal or a bed to sleep on is unfathomable. My heart goes out to them.’
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Thank-you, Kim, for sharing your story. I agree that it seems to be a city phenomenon. I posted a valuable link with my reply to Frank’s comment to this piece that offers hope in city initiatives to end homelessness. Good to see. There is hope. 🙂
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Heart breaking
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Thanks for caring, Mary. ❤
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A very poignant haibun Olga and I have seen a lot of this when living in cities and I have particularly been supporting campaigns for homeless people with dogs. They are often offered accommodation were dogs are not allowed and they turn it down because they do not want to abandon their dog. It is often the dog for whom they have given up drugs or alcohol and they form a lifeline for these people. There are now special outreach teams who provide veterinary care on the streets and more and more homeless shelters are beginning to offer places where dogs are welcome too.
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Good to hear that such worthy campaigns exist. Wish you well in your efforts. We just had a major bi-law changed in our community where a landlord can’t refuse accommodation due to the fact that someone as a dog which can restrict many from finding a place to live. Thanks for your voice. 🙂
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🙋💖 xxx
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Your haibun speaks volumes, Olga. Why in our western world today is homeless so predominate? Many theories, but still….it is unacceptable…barbaric.
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I agree. Some places in the world are making a difference in easing homelessness, but why not every country.
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Since I work in Toronto City, I see a lot of homeless people around the streets and train. It is a terrible situation specially during winter. The wait for the meal and the warm bed can be very long and agonizing. Thanks for joining us~
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When I lived in Toronto years ago, I walked on Yonge St. many times and never saw one homeless person. There were musicians in the subways and some street corners, but no one with a sign saying, “I’m homeless and hungry. Please help.” Sad!
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True homeless is heartbreaking. Lovely senryu at the end.
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Thank-you, Kanzen. ❤
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For me, homelessness is a cause that we have a duty to address in our poetry and I turn to it now and again. This is so sensitive, important.
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I agree Victoria. The voiceless need a voice. Poetry can shine a light on the issue. Thank-you for acknowledging. ❤
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This is so sad. Thank you for this insight.
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Thank-you for reading. 🙂
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It just shouldn’t be so.
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I agree. It’s very tragic. 😦
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An amazing haiku response to the challenge and a wonderful story Olga. Sadly homelessness is a direct result of economic rationalism in developed societies and until countries like Canada and Australia reject this evil social problem at the ballot box it will get worse. As for the USA under Trump who knows what he plans to do about homeless people, I shudder to think!
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Denis, thank-you for sharing your voice.
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Aww, that’s so beautiful and touching. I love the images too. ❤ xx
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❤
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Heartbreaking.
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