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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 18, 2011)
street roots Feb. 18, 2011 ' ì l t À i A 7 ' ì Normal Like You by .Speechless Poems. Why is there always a frown When there should be a smile? Why is the rain always coming down * When you wish for one ray of sunlight? Why are the days always so long When the night is gone in a blink of an eye? : Why does it seem that everyone has a place th at they belong When I struggle so hard just to be noticed? Why is it, that people who have much and all they needa When they look at me, they wish me to suffer and bleed? Why is the world always so cold and dreary When I awake, my eyes are red and bleary? Why am I doomed to be looked down upon When all I want is to be normal like you? Why are all these unanswered questions just floating around When they could just leave me alone? Why does my life have to be in complete disarray When all I want is a happiness that cannot be found? Why am I blessed with talents that no one can see When all I am asking, is some acceptance? Why is it, that I’m stuck in this cycle When all I want is just to be free? ; Why do you look at me, repulsed and disgusted When I didn’t ask for this, this destiny choose me? Why can’t you see, I’m just trying to survive When all you see is just another street kid? Why don’t you understand, we all aren’t made of money When you stand there and scoff, while Iw ait for the highest bid? Why don’t you just open your heart, maybe just a little When you see me sitting there, begging everyday? Why don’t you help me out, and give me a little pay When you read my sign, every word ringing true? Why can’t you see, it’s hard work that I do When I’m out here, just asking, begging, pleading with you? Why don’t you stop pointing your nose in the air When I ask “Spare change?” Just acknowledge me there. Why does this world have to be so cruel and unfair When all I want is a dry place to sleep, and to wash my hair? Why am I doomed to be looked down upon When all I want is to be normal like you? Questions by Arnanda Seaver What does, one do? When it all seems too good to be true? , Do we, Embrace the dreams and the hope that is attached to it? Or remember the memories, Of pain when it all got ripped from my grasp the time before? I want to believe, . I want to hope, But I don’t want to hurt all over again. Is it true this time? Or is this just the dreams of a hopeful child Looking to be shattered all over again? Yet todream, .S ' s, ■ Is to want, But to want, Is to be hurt again, Now the only question left is this, Is all of this worth the pain all over again? Homeless cartoonist helps Phllly students address addiction many ways, it is Robert’s story. Robert was taking advantage of the workshops at Parent University and showing off his cartoons as they obert Hayes and his “LU Addict” cartoon have appeared in One Step Away. Several instructors saw been a fixture on the pages of Philadelphia’s and liked the comic. As Robert began talking about street newspaper produced by the homeless. Now putting a book together, James and Karren Dunkley, Lil Addict” is going to school, graduating to a place deputy chief of the school district of PhUadelphia, rithin the Philadelphia School D is tr ic t............... agreed to purchase a “LU Addict” comic book and Parent University, a Philadelphia district initiative make it avaUable in the resource center for Parent >ffering free day and evening classes to parents, is University. ,; jartnering with “Lil Addict” to provide a resource to “I’ve always wanted to use the comic to raise ingage parents and their children on addiction and awareness with young people,” Robert said. I m very grateful for this opportunity with the school district of recovery. . “We want to encourage parents reading with their PhUadelphia.” f.. .. children and talking to their children about staying away The only change to Robert’s work is the title. The* irom drugs,” said Karen James, director of call center School District will caU the book “Tales of Recovery.” and operations for the school district o$ Philadelphia. The cartoon will still run in One Step Away as “LU “We’d ultimately like to have a book club discussion, of Addict” the issues the character went through, the challenges Robert has recently found full-time employment and is set to leave the shelter soon. But he’U keep drawing he faced, and how he overcame them. “We want to teach children that life is notalways a “LU Addict,” and continue to appear in the pages of One Step Away. Robert credited Alan BeU, the artist-in bowl of cherries. There are obstacles, and you have to fight through them. Robert is someone who had been residence at the Ridge Center, with helping him turn a hobby into something much more. there, and has gone through it, and knows w tot he s “I first started drawing ‘LU Addict’ as an outlet when talking about We’re happy to support him m his effort, people in the facility would irritate me,’’ Robert said, because he’s using his situation to better himself. And with a laugh. “Alan Bell reaUy helped me develop it, he has talen t” .' r. x . and soon I started thinking that it could be a helpful One Step Away is Philadelphia's first street tool for people in recovery. | newspaper, and the only street paper m the country m “When One Step Away started publishing the which most of the content is produced by the homeless cartoon, it motivated me to do more. I had a^sense of men, women and children in the city shelters. Hayes, a pride, and I felt like I had accomplished sonfething. resident at RHD Ridge Center, began contributing his The first time I saw it in the newspaper, that’s when I “Lil Addict” cartoons shortly after One Step Away reaUy knew that I could do something I wanted to do.” debuted in January, 2010. f “LU Addict” teUs the story of addiction, temptatio Reprinted from One Step Away street newspaper, and recovery in ways that are sometimes whimsicaland Philadelphia, Penn. Street News Service sometimes serious, but always thought-provoking. I BY KEVIN ROBERTS C O N T R IB U T IN G W R ITE R R g a i & s 11112 s well ybu do S t r r m YOU w y w to s i f i c s a r ''" ' V j \ la The L il’ Addict cartoon by Robert Hayes is now oemg uwu Philadelphia schools to teach children about the perils o f drug use.
