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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (June 30, 2017)
Street Roots • June 30-July 6, 2017 Poetry Page 12 Wake Up From Ignorant Indolence, Portland by Melissa Coffman hear Portland, are you still asleep? You must be that is why our brothers and sisters can’t open any doors you’ve locked them out deserves experiencing homelessness in our city so wake up dig deep deeper their stories and help them pull the needle out while allaying voices some hear commanding they step in front of the train Portland, wake up you lazy prick our people are despondent in the streets like a plague spreading Portland, you have the influence decree with action all lives have value basic human necessities those who need more than your coiffed head can perceive Portland, who is human? If we are all worthy why aren’t we all worthy? countless come each day from North, South, the East watch them absorb reality look at our people’s harsh panorama needing more than just a meal or shower Have you looked into eyes of another life weeping and desperate because there was no easily evident remedy to their Portland, you callous wretch council members and mayor who hold the dough to fuel a solution live in an alternate existence Portland, your alarm is buzzing quietly shut your door watch the sidewalk a woman and her child are curled up sleeping blocking your fortifying gate suffering look out your windows walk up and down west burnside street baby steps for the ignorant indolent and then expressed what you can do for them tell them you’ll fight for them support them give of yourself so that they can start to see relief in their wake up our people are hungry junk sick from needles starved forsaken stomachs there is no way around you are awake now to the plight of our people they are lying on cardboard in plain view of you you cannot unsee this inhumanity future? Portland, where are you hiding, you coward? This is our community come have a genuine look dig deep deeper open your damn eyes do something you inept bureaucracy I do my part because I am impelled to not one more man woman or child you can despite dismissive grey suits reconstruct the people’s future go fight the fight you represent all people of this broken overloaded system benevolence propagates exponentially. Melissa Coffman works in mental health crisis services as a peer support specialist. How do you share health? DOUGHNUT At Health Share, we believe good health is more than what happens inside your doctor’s office. Good health starts in your community and includes staying active, eating healthy food and getting regular check-ups. WORD JUMBLE EMLPA < X J IPLF A S A 2 Share your healthy habits with family and friends. We can all have better health when we share it together. k A M EO H R □ Which doughnut is named a fte r Elvis Presley's entourage? ASM M OI Print answer here a THE A. A A.,, A A A ^ < A A A A ^ health Better health together. www.heaUhshareoregon.org
