l’m tired

 
he said – l’m tired, old and black
but not necessarily in that order
seen more blues than the indigo sky
and royal sea put together
but they’ve never got the better of me
been struck by white lightning
been beat up more than once
by the system, by daily living
by a policeman’s club
been stoned by hail
and burned by the sun
done lost more time
than you ever could believe
and all that l’ve won
is a temporary reprieve
a moment to rest and catch my breath
before the winter’s breeze
tries to steal this flimsy cardboard
that provides my only shield
covering me for one more night
as i try my best to survive
these cold and homeless streets
Gregory Pond