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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 6, 2013)
14 Street roots Dec. 6, 2013 Alone, Forgotten, Lonely, Out Of Sight Out Of Mind By Mark Thomas (Dedicated to all homeless and street people throughout the world) Alone, forgotten, lonely, out of sight out of mind Neglected by our society, rejected by mankind The mentally ill, the homeless, the vulnerable, human beings are everywhere Dozens dying daily; drugs, drink, disease, deprivation, despair. And what about the others that those dead friends leave behind? If you look in the right places, this is what you’ll find: Sickness, destitution, chronic ill health are matters of fact Deterioration of bodies, lost souls, minds about to crack. Languishing in the hostels, bedsits, dumps in need of repair In places of oblivion where no one seems to care Exploited by corrupt, unscrupulous landlords who look on with disdain Their only real concern is of how much they can gain. Misery, dejection, deep depression is the norm However strong the individual, whatever shape or form Existing mental illness; minor, moderate, severe Will clearly be exacerbated by torment, uncertainty, fear. Confused, weak, weary, frightened, very much alone Another day of hopelessness, another day unknown Too tired to go on any more with illness, apathy, despair It’s time to say “Goodbye cruel world, no one really cares”. For others not so “lucky” who are looking for a bed They’ll turn to any place of comfort to rest their weary head Alleys, stairwells, doorways, basements, any place will do So long as there is shelter for one night, maybe two. Another day is dawning, another day of doom Where to move on next from the cold, the rain, the gloom? Wandering about aimlessly, searching for a clue To find a place of refuge for the many, not the few. “No room” in such places, “Full up”, closed doors all around It’s back to that place of misery the previous night they found Danger, cold, wet, abject squalor beckons yet again For the thousands in our society; vulnerable, teenagers, young women, young men. But just how many make it to see yet another day? Some will not awaken, found dead, frozen where they lay Another lost, forgotten statistic which no one cares to keep Figures of huge numbers, enough to make you weep. One more death*, a suicide, caused by complacency, neglect Isn’t it time to treat our fellow man with a little more respect? Help, care, understanding would certainly be a start Act now to prevent more deaths Those-With-Power, compassion, heart. Let’s start to radically rethink, review our “Community Care” We must stop leaving our vulnerable unassessed, unmonitored, unaware Two years have now slipped by since the start of this disastrous Act It’s time to change this “system”, which is failing, that’s a fact. So come on health staff, social workers, politicians across the divide Get your acts together to stop this rising tide Of needless deaths, human suffering, tragedies that put you all to shame “A national disgrace, disaster, scandal” who will take the blame? © Mark, March 1995 M ir a d o r COMMUNITY STORE :■ ' ■ ■ • . •A A » ’H l .♦X Naturat Kitchen <& Home 2106 SE Division 503*231*5175 m iradoreom m unitystore.com M on-Sat 10-6 * Sun 11-5 Canning jars & equipment, cookware, kitchen tools & appliances Organic cotton sheets, towels, & blankets J* Food dryers Juicers Books on meat-free cooking, gardening & sustainability -A X A - V P ww X A. Your online housing search just got easier. . z. ) A z z ' z G' v B At 1 he ¡Table 1337 S.W. Washington, Portland, OR 97205 www.tafthome.org Now through December 31st your g ift is matched 50( for every dollar, plus an additional $ I-fo r-,fl match for a ll new donors Learn more at www.sistersoftheroad.org or 503-222-5694. .............. HOUSING mVNfTY We asked our community at Sisters Of The Road to draw what family means. Each family map tells a story we all can relate to. Sometimes all family can do is keep the doors open and welcome one another for a home-cooked meal. And in this way, Sisters is family for so many folks.. Many thanks to our generous supporters! (5 0 3 )2 2 3 -2 1 4 4 . Thousands o f listings • Free service Includes special needs housing Call 2-1-1 or 503-802-8562 R Call us fo r m o re in fo rm a tio n ■ LOOKING FOR AN AFFORDABLE PLACE TO RENT? T o q e tk e r Where senior and disabled adults receive the care and respect they deserve. 11 1 I What the world around us sometimes looks like
