A Christmas Hallelujah
61
Oh the pain of remembering who I was
back twenty years ago
as wealth and fame I commanded
respect for having plenty of
followers to sing my
Hallelujah
An architect of nature with platitudes
of greatness never thinking for a second
of my future going backwards from my status
of arrogance and grandeur I sang my
Hallelujah
A spoiled child given whatever he wanted
no adjustments made by parents who were
never really there to give him love
just digging deep into their wealthy snobbish
pockets to lavish him with praise and
Hallelujah
Fancy cars and clothes divine designed
by gay lovers who came to flirt with mother
always bringing lilies to adorn her
translucent persona sly they were
to attach themselves like Velcro on silk
to father's gold n
Hallelujah
Leeches hanging sucking blood before
the match was struck and salt thrown on
their tepid bodies adored for being
full of gaiety possessed by greed
and lust they chirped like doves their
Hallelujah
I sniffed my snow day and night with razor
blade and light to keep the line so straight
sniffing up with straws to nostrils bleeding
for a hit of mind numbing temporary fantasy
delight for lost I was that spoiled wealthy
child living like a King I sang the
Hallelujah
My mind destroyed and young teen
years gone spent on doing what I pleased
to do with out any repent now a man lost
and without hope disowned by parents
who cared less for a man who calls
out in pain they wash their hands like a
Judas singing his last dirge and
Hallelujah
Washed his hands the blood from whom
he placed on wood crying he is not one of us
with no ownership a cast out into the world
to live a life of shame this man of wealth and
fame Christmas on the streets with tattered
clothes and empty gut nor warmth of kindness
from the past yet now he mourns give me death
so deserving for not knowing who I am a child
a teen a man of worth and fame and acclaim no
longer can sing his
Hallelujah
Slowly pushing the Walmart cart so blue
across the lot with what he knew now a life
of baggage and rubble saved to cover his
aching troubled body of abuse with
cardboard walls and candles his light to
try to keep his hands from freezing on
cold night he prays for death be
swift and cries for
Hallelujah
A tortured lost soul an architect
of his own design the powder did him in and
cast him to the streets like many who were
somebody maybe like me and you just a simple
minded child who wanted love not grandeur or
riches and doting parents caring not to give him
time of day just lavishing gifts in silence till he
passed away from sight so they could sip there
champagne and fancy liqueurs with fashion queens
and lounge lizards who wanted nothing more but to
dig deep into their pockets for gold and sing their
Hallelujah
The mission bells ring for all those wanting to be fed
and warmed of spirits caroling from within to feed
their wasted souls and give them warmth before they
face the streets of bitter winds and man who want to
take what little they possess and kick them even
further into hell crying a bitter
Hallelujah
Calloused hands and fingers bent this man
once of wealth and fame walks the street of
mainly broken dreams and hearts trying to
survive another Christmas with nothing but
what he has on his faceless name
not remembering
he dreams of bonbons and sweets from
his past and then like a lightning flash his nostrils
remind him of bitterness for taking the snow of
altered states when he was an architect of his own
Hallelujah
All saints sing Hallelujah Hallelujah as he silently
watches from a distance wandering in the night
waiting for the cold kiss of death to take him to his
maker with delight he opens his heart and silently
mumbles to himself Hallelujah to the Christ who
calms his soul on this dark cold and windy night
Leonard sings his poets lament while in the
streets the lonely homeless find the strength
to sing in unison
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Amen
© Copyright Vincent Moore 2011. All Rights Reserved.
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Saddlerider -I read this and my tears fell outside while my heart cried where is the love... you have touched me deeply with this my friend. Simply beautiful in its message. I struggle to find words for my thoughts...
Wow is right!
Thank you suziecat for your kind words, heart wrenching for a faceless name from years lost from himself. Hugs
@ CheyenneAutumn thank you for your generous thoughts as tears fell outside and heart cried inside. This was a poem of remembering a man who had it all until his fall to the streets of lonelyville. He's still out there burnt and lost in his memory. Hugs to you.
You crafted this beautifully, Saddlerider. wow.
Powerful poem! It touched me; it conveys a message of compassion for the man who came from a place of affluence and ended up in the sad, lonely streets.
Hi saddlerider. If you continue to keep finding more and more depth to your writing, you will need a mighty long ladder to clamber back out. You painted a vivid picture of the pitfalls of life that any person can succumb to, if they seek fulfillment, from the cup of over indulgence. Poetry can be at times vague and unfathomable to Joe Blows such as myself, but your poetry speaks to the common man, or woman and the message is therefore not lost. That is the first time i have ever heard Leonard Cohen sing the Hallelujah chorus. Mainly because he's not on American idol. He's a bit too low down the register for my liking, to be honest. But i enjoyed it when the other singers joined in. Fantastic poem, pure class mate. Cheers Keith.
I loved the poem. Beautiful, it captured real feeling and past it round to those who read it. Wonderfully emotive. A glance at life.
Beautiful, brother, just beautiful.
As everyone else says this is a great and heart tugging poem.
You express your self brilliantly and for many through composing a poem is the best way to do this.
I have learnt that many people who caused us heartache whether years ago or later in life, should be brought to justice. However this does not often happen and the only way we can get the better of these inividuals( for want of a better word) is to be happy in our own lives and two fingers up to them and say 'I have made it and you did not win the day.' Whether you say it to their face or just say it out loud to yourself it does not matter!!
This is a very poignant poem and one I will not forget in a hurry.
Take care and God Bless you.
A beautiful but sad poem my friend and your words always a joy to savour.
We are all architects of our dreams (and nightmares). We can blame our parents for spoiling us and for indulging our every desire when we're young. We might be able to hold them responsible for how they set us up for life and for making it more difficult for us in the long term but there comes a time when we must take responsibility for our own personal actions and the way we choose to live our lives.
Thanks for sharing your wonderfully crafted thoughts my friend and God bless you!
Powerful, moving words Saddlerider. This really puts things into perspective, in so many ways, it bears reading again and again. Bookmarked!
I have chills and tears in my eyes. What a powerful poem this is! Simply amazing! It really makes you think how every person has their own story, many filled with such darkness and sadness. It really makes me thankful for the wonderful childhood I had...filled with love. You created a masterpiece here for sure. Thank you!
I wih l could write like that...... Incredible, moving so relevant to today´, world....... then the great Leonard Cohen at the end was just too much..,,,,, Tears everywhere,. Fabulous. Thank you. xx God bless. xx
Hallelujah! Go Leonard Cohen and the Saddlerider! God bless! Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!
Ken. This is your masterpiece. You'll have a high stretch to top it. You've blossomed!
And Leonard Cohen - what a muse to use - one of the best of the best in his own genre. Your genius which had early merely peeked out has peaked in this and it has once more piqued my interest with each and every word and the subtlety of your intraline rhymes, poignant story and simply masterful Hallelujah accents. THRILLING!
Wow. I didn't even expect to be able to write a sufficiently fitting accolade, but it's the best I can do and it is spontaneous. I'll be reading it again. I didn't click Cohen's video because I could hear it in my head, but I will click it to hear as I read next time through.
I am overwhelmed by the number of comments left so quickly on this hub and truly thankful. This is and was a man who slid from 1st class to third class in the eyes of many.
However I met him a few times because of where my business was located, he frequented the trash bins often, scrounging for items that would help him make it through another day, I gave him money sometimes and he thanked me gratefully, however his life on the streets taught him how to survive from trash bin to trash bin.
I don't know if he is still alive today, I last saw him in 97 and he was having a tough go of his health then.
Thank you..Carolina-ViletSun-Attemptedhumor-earnestshub, Dave Price- Eiddwen_Richtwf- Joyus Crynold-erthfrend-MickyDee and Nellieanna for your kindest words and support for this writing.
I was moved to write of an old friend who slid to the streets and with a Halleluhjah I give tribute to his soul. If he has passed I pray he is RIP...
Somehow, some people, must have it all, then loose it all, before they can realize what life is all about. Saddlerider, you’ve told a sad story in a beautiful and touching way. Thumbs UP for you!
..and what a beautiful and moving tribute this is..Halleluhjah
No telling how many have fallen from hollow affluence to "pushing that wal-mart" cart. This is the sort of subject that begs for a poem -- glad it was taken up by your capable hands. Adios.
Very lovely tribute, Ken but how sad to have so much and feel so unwanted. That is a sad commentary on the rich and famous I suppose but it can happen on any level. Putting your life before your children is never a happy ending and some children never recover. I feel sad for him and what might have been! Addiction is a terrible cross to bear and have seen it first hand bringing the ruination of the person you knew but who is no longer 'home'.
Martie, erthfrend and Doug..thank you for your kinds words. It is sad how many of us may fall from heights of grandeur to the mean streets of homelessness. Some who have fallen revived and came back to the mainstream of life but unfortunately there are many more who never survived the streets. peace my friends.
Every one of us should think "there but for grace go I". No one is immune.
Hi Audrey and yes your right and unfortunately there are the rich and famous who spoil there kids with stuff and no loving and some of those kids fall on the wayside into the drug scene that takes them to the bottom. There are many on the streets with sad backgrounds and not all of them are from poor family conditions. Hugs
@Nellieanna your absolutely correct with those words and thought. No one is immune, no one...
I had to share this with my mom... Great heartfelt stuff. The song and words are integrated poetry of life... the contrast of what happens when one's excess exceeds one's wisdom of knowing how to cope. Resilience is different for each of us....
Perhaps establish a collect of these "facets of life" into published collection of "Life."
a beautiful heart felt piece my friend, there are so many a man on the streets like the one you describe. All those dreams and worth can be washed away so fast when we turn the white death. God Bless my friend. Peace to you
Excellent work, makes me wonder how many peoples lives end up this way.
Well Saddlerider you simply get better and better, you are now giving Shakespeare a run for his money. I loved the comparisons. Your writing has achieved a new dimension for me.I learn so much from you about writing and how to paint a picture with your words. Simply awesome, thank you.
Hallelujah, you nailed it with this one, Saddlerider -- it is wonderful and so, are you. Thank you for this powerful portrait
This, without a doubt, is your best.It is so sad.I can't help thinking about his parents,so uncaring.This brings to mind that one can have money,yet be so unhappy.I don't think anyone will turn to alcohol or drugs if they are happy.Thank you for sharing this.
Hi Dallas nice to see you back. Shared with your mom,how nice. Coping is most difficult for some and since we all handle circumstances differently affect our futures. I liked your suggestion "Collection of Life" good title for a poem, I feel one coming on:0)
@vietnamvet your so right, the powder of death, I tell my youngest son, he smokes a joint or two once in awhile but discourage him on harder substances. I hope he heeds the old man's wisdom. The powder has shot a few good men/woman down the toilet of life. Peace to you my friend
@europewalker, far to many my friend...peace
@acaetnna thank you for your kind words of support and encouragement. I am happy that my writings are inspiring and reaching as you say a new dimension for you. I pen what I visualize and this is what comes out from time to time. Glad you enjoyed. Hugs to you
@Robie2 thank you as well for your kind words, glad you enjoyed it to.
@AE thank you for thinking this is my best, I try with each write to receive compliments and you never fail me. Thank you again for your encouraging words, I am humbled and blushing here. Hugs
An absolutely powerful message through your beautiful poetry. What a riveting story. Thank you for your talent in presenting this social ill at a time when we need to open our eyes and see. God Bless.
This was so powerful--your words reach into our hearts and expose the emotions by ripping them from us. So many of us get seduced by money, power, drugs...whatever. What we end up with often mocks us with cruelty and certainty of our fate. Let me say it once again--this was extremely powerful and emotional. Thanks.
Mike
This beautiful poem touched me deeply and I am almost left speechless. The words were so powerful as the walk down life's path was surely not planned for those results, yet we have a Savior that loves us unconditionally. Hallelujah!
Ken, I think this piece demonstrates that you have certainly hit your stride as a writer. As I read this, I sense that you have found the ability to let your emotion and feelings flow freely on to the page writing as if a man possessed. This is by far some of your best work and I am so proud that you shared it with us. This painful story of street existence and the path to it against the backdrop of the celebration of the Christmas season is enough to make any person stop and think about the true spirit of Christmas. Thank you for this wonderful creation! WB
Thank you Denise for your words. Yours so right it is one of our serious social ills, drugs. For those who get caught up in drugs and can't set themselves free other than losing everything they ever had and flushing their dreams and lives down the sewers of the streets. How sad is that? Yes the world needs to open their eyes to many things, but we are humans and blinded. Peace
@ Mike Lickteig, nice to see you thank you for your kind words indeed. Yes money and power go together and when many people lose it by inflicting drugs into their souls, this is what often happens, they go down. One has to wonder how many once high rolling humans are now in the streets with other homeless and drugged out people. Those are the ones who can't pull themselves back, their minds are gone. Many other homeless are their because of no employment, money, house. These homeless CAN strive to get back on their feet with help. Yet that's a struggle to and more help has to be given to the homeless and shelter provided for them. Peace my friend
Ah, sadly this is so true for many. I have known a few Ken. Very touching, thanks. Charlie
Pamela thank you for your kinds words, I know one never expects to be brought to their knees, yet we are finding more and more people being buried in the streets with such plights of drug abuse and other horrible things happening to them, homelessness is very very ugly and needs to be addressed much more seriously. Peace and hugs to you.
@Wayne my dear fellow scribe. I have walked through the fires and my soul has been witness to much hurt and abuse in my time, especially my younger days. I am able to now draw from the deep dark well of despair.
I am granted vision and the imagery comes forth from my heart and soul to share with fellow readers. Thank you from a humble writer who simply is a man wanting to share his past life experiences here. Peace my friend...
@ Ah Charlie, I knew this would be something you would have seen in your time to. Yes it is touching and I am thankful that I did not hit the bottom in that way, however I have been brought to my knees in other ways. Peace my friend.
Powerful stuff dear friend, it makes me wonder, where's the gratitude as so many in our society are just as you outlined and praising themselves and all they deserve. I'm so grateful to be humble and grateful for all I'm blessed with. I'm truly impressed with your honest reality about yourself. I say this with caution and no disrepect for anyone pointing no fingers at any, just from my personal experience greed is the root of all evil and so many become consumed with it! Well DONE! Great message. Blessings and Peace :)
Did you not like my comment in between Erthriend and Micky Dee?
Thank you katieM2 I agree greed can become a root that grows and grows and takes on a life of it's own and cast the children away from the neglect by their unloving parents. And sadly drugs and booze can take control of a young persons life and bring them to ruins as it did in the case of this gentleman. Thank you for you kind words. Hugs
@Dim..I must apologize for not commenting earlier, I missed your write, however not it's meaning you shared. Yes Leonard Cohen is a soulful poet and singer and I adore him. I grew up in Montreal and frequented the haunts on St Deni and St Urbain streets where he hung out in French cafes and wrote a lot of his poetry and songs. Thank you my dear lady for your kind comments and accolades on my writing. I simply humbly share from my tattered soul. Peace and hugs to you...
While many of us go about Christmas with a superficial jollity there are those for whom Chritmas cheer is just a myth, a sad commentary on their loneliness and abandonment. And some find comfort in the lines of snow which will finally kill them after having destroyed their lives and tortured their souls. And so we have the terrible irony of the season of joy being the season of despair and death for so many.
Thanks for crafting this painfully beautiful poem to remind us of the pain so many experience at this time.
Love and peace
Tony
Thank you Tony for the reminder of the calamity of Christmas for many tortured souls who through the abuse of drugs and alcohol will never know Christmas. They have lost their souls and minds along the way in life from various misdirections and as a result will be found frozen to death in dark and dreary places, what a waste and sad way to end your life. Love and peace...
saddlerider - Your poetry becomes more powerful and eloquent with each presentation. Bravo! It spoke to me more than I can say.
Green Lotus thank you for the compliment on my poem and I am glad it spoke to you and many others. Drug and alcohol abuse is a very UGLY thing and to many suffer and harm themselves and others by this crippling disease. Peace and hugs to you.
What a beautiful poem and yet so sad, especially at this time of year. I wish there was a way to help more of the people that suffer like this, so many of them are just so far gone and so lost that you can't even reach them.
Your poem has made me feel very grateful for my life today and I thank you.
schoolmarm you welcome, I am happy that you feel grateful for your life and so you should. There are less fortunate than many of us and we should do our best to come to their aid whenever and however we can.
Your right there are many who are so far gone, that no matter what we do they will not come off the streets, we can only show them LOVE and kindness. peace to you.
This is a very gripping poem, particularly, "a lightning flash his nostrils
remind him of bitterness for taking the snow of
altered states when he was an architect of his own
Hallelujah"... You have truly captured a heartbreak.
Thank you HubPaiges for stopping in to leave a comment, I am happy that part of it struck a cord for you. Yes heartbreak for sure, he sent himself to the streets by losing his mind to drugs..
Wow... I got lost in this one - so many aspects to it. Bitter - Sweet but as usual, a very interesting and enjoyable piece.
I really hope this Xmas is a warm one for you. I hope it leaves you with fresh, beautiful memories....
Best Wishes.
Awww this is so very powerfully deep. Evoked many emotions in me. So sad I wept! Thank you saddlerider
Thank you Lady_E for you kind comment.I am happy you enjoyed this work of mine. All the best to as well. Have a very Merry Christmas with your friends and family. peace and hugs from me.
@ pennyofheaven yes it does evoke emotions for sure and so it should. Very sad for an old friend who fell from his throne. Hugs
Beautiful saddlerider. Brought tears to my eyes and a strange sensse of uneasiness if that's the right word. Wonderfully done -again. oh love the christmas hat by the way!!
Fantastic!! --- is a really great song and you do it justice, that is probably the greatest compliment, I was humming along and all the words to your poem fitted perfectly. I'm not sure if this is more poem or Drama cos you populate it with so many interesting, colourful characters but I do know it is a great piece of work! Happy Christmas my friend and as Lady_E says, I hope it leaves you with fresh beautiful memories
Hello heather and thank you for leaving a nice comment and some tears to, yes it does give one an uneasy feeling knowing that it can happen to anyone no matter what status of life we come from. You like my hat to, now I am really happy:0)) Going with the festive season. Hugs
@ damian,Merry Christmas to you and yours. I am glad you liked my poem and hummed a few bars to the song by Leonard. Yes I have many beautiful memories both good and bad, fortunately more good than bad. Peace to you.
....every time I get the privilege of reading Saddlerider 1 - I sing Hallelujah!!!!!
Thank you my epigramman friend of man. I can hear you singing from the Canadian Prairies, your sweet voice carries so well across the cold, icy wind swept prairies. Hallelujah...Hallelujah....Hallelujah...and a BIG Merry Christmas to you and yours...
an exceptional piece of poetry!Hallelujah Saddlerider 1.
We praise God when we say "Hallelujah".But there are times when I am drunk and in a melancholy mood,I tend to drip with sarcasm when I commune with God and question his intention for me..At the beginning of your poem...Like me,the homeless' soliloquy of unspoken reflection tinges with sarcasm.What touch me was the poignant moment at the end when he open his heart to Christ.....my friend, I believe you drew forth from the depth of your heart the feelings and emotion than when into this poem and I thank you for sharing...Peace.
Yes SilentReed form the depths of despair and aloneness he tries to come to grip with his life and what he had made of it and silently mumbles to himself and recognizes God's presence for the first time and thus his Hallelujah from his soul comes forth.
Thank you for visiting this poem, I have many times in the past communed with God with a bottle of Jack as my partner and together we shared illuminating moments. I was brought to my knees often in humbleness. Peace
As I peruse these pages I find so many talented people! I'm glad I happened to peruse here. You are very talented. I could see the man, as a boy, and as a man, and I could feel his pain as he slipped away from those he loved, wishing for nothing but love back.
You wrote this so beautifully. Thank you.
My husband drives a truck over the road and has given these guys a hot meal more times than I can count. There are so many stories, but always there is pain.
This poem brings home the fact that when you see these people, you only see them as they are now, you have no idea who they were, who they may still be inside.
Grace and love, Hallelujah
Most of the time we think of Christmas as a time of joy and celebration and either forget or ignore the pain that some people are going through.
Your powerful poem paints a sad reality of pain and lonliness that too many are experimenting not only at Christmas time but in a daily base - it only seems more heart-beaking by comparesson.
Hello Sueroy and thank you for leaving your lovely comments. I to was an over the road driver for a number of years and like your husband, have helped out homeless at truck stop by buying them a meal or sharing the contents of my cooler with them.
It's sad how people have fallen and the sad part it can happen to every single one of us the rich or the poor. People who fall from grace are looked down upon by many of us and they don't see the person hurting inside, only their exterior shell which can be filthy due to their lot in life, how sad. Peace and hugs to you and tell your husband I am proud of him for helping the homeless.
Dear Saddlerider,
I cannot express through mere words the divine nature your words bring. With tears in my eyes upon reading the tortured words of the prose, it rings to true to the story I read as a child, from the Bible. About if a man is cold, give him a blanket, if he is hungry feed him, and so forth. And your words remind me of that. They paint a sad story, but yet hopeful in a way too. Hopeful there are people out there who care and who are touched by those experiences. Your words have touched me, and when I was reading them I was thinking of that Leonard Cohen song, and there it was!
I voted this up Dear Man, this is your best work thus far that I have read. Simply beautiful prose that is yet haunting, but so very profound.
Blessings and hugs to you and yours this Holiday Season.
Laurie
A powerful, provocative and evocative story told in poetry, layered with religious and societal reference made this a very satisfying read.
I mean, nice poem. :)
Laurie Dawn, I was moved to write about a man I knew as a successful business man in his time, although the pressures from friends and associates drove him to drug abuse. He ended up in the mean streets and lost his mind along the way. I wanted to share this with others who might be caught up in drug abuse or on their way down the ladder of success to poverty and hardship.
I am thankful that I was saved early in my life from the streets and stayed clean, although I've faced many obstacles climbing the business rung, I managed to stay sober and drug free to my senior age.
There are too many homeless and we as fellow humans are all connected and need to help whenever and however we can. I pray that our governments will get more on track with helping out and pulling these people from the streets, way to many don't deserve to be there. Peace and hugs, I am glad it moved you....I hoped it would as I penned it.
@ Tom I am happy that this read was satisfying to you and you understood the sadness and plight that homeless go through, no matter their background and status symbol in life.
Each and every one of us could find ourselves in their position if we are not careful. peace my friend
SR1- I think you are an angel sent to help us all look at pain through the security of your words. It is often so easy to turn one's head and look in the other direction when we encounter others in despair. We don't want to look, we don't want to know their story- but through your writing you give us the courage to empathize and care. You always show there's light at the end of the tunnel even if it is tragically the salvation of death. Peace, hugs and much love to you and yours this holiday season!
Thank you rx4u for your kind considerate comments. I have seen the pain and felt it in my time here. If anything I write can ease or help another person with pain from abuse of any kind then my job is done.
I am happy that my words are looked upon as soothing and helpful in these trying times. I believe there is always light at the end of the tunnel, however the obstacles we are often faced with darken our souls until we are shown the light.
Death is but just a rebirth and a chance to get it right the second or umpteenth time around. peace and hugs and may you have a very Happy Holiday Season for you and your loved ones.
Hi saddlerider1, This is such a beautiful poem. You have done such an incredible job of making us feel his pain, his past and his present. It is so sad, and very real. Thank you.
Wow, that is awesome!
samialli thank you for your kind comment, yes it is so sad and yet he has found peace in his soul, Hallelujah..
@apstumbo thank you for your thoughts. Peace
Thank you apStumbo, I read your excellent tribute of thankfulness and I was moved by your hub. Much appreciate you adding my link to yours. God bless you.
Man that was one very powerful poem, thanks for sharing somthing that profound! I have not been around for a moment or two so I thought I would pop by and I am glad I did.
Thank you Highvoltagewriter for stopping by, very nice to read your kind comment. I am happy that you liked this poem as much as I did writing it. I am glad you stopped by as well. peace to you and a very Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Sometimes I feel like a person is damned if they do and damned if they don't. More than likely, many of the wealthiest, most successful in business, devote most of their waking hours to their business. It must be heartbreaking for those accustomed to success to see a child in trouble and know that their choices bear some responsibility for bringing a child into the world that ends up on the streets. I think it is a rare parent that would want less than the best for their child. I suppose balance is key, but, sometimes, in providing for a family it is easy to lose sight of who and why you are working so hard. Thank you for the privilege of reading your thought provoking, beautiful creation.
Thank you Amy for your wonderful insight into humanity. I to often wonder the same thing. There are many men and women of status roaming the streets today in search of food and survival. Many have fallen from grace and ignored by friends who once hung on to them like leeches. Power is only power when you have it, lose it and watch how quickly your friends disappear. This man lost it all...peace to you my new friend..
It never ceases to amaze me, Ken, how you can reach deep within the story of a person and find their truths, their fears, and pain. You have a profound insight to the human soul. Such a powerful message for all. When one is brought to their knees it is then that they are humble enough to see their truth and their salvation. Yet, I wonder -- did he lose it all? Or was this the path to finding what he needed all along? A torturous path it was, but did it not bring him to his truth?
Such a moving and bittersweet poem saddlerider1. Thank you for sharing it.
Phyllis as always, thank you for your very kind compliments about my writings. I seem to be able to feel my characters and use imagery well. It comes to me as I write and I feel like I am present in the scene. I believe it did bring him to his truth and possibly saved him from the wretched streets. Happy New Year to you and yours, I look forward to reading more of your very interesting and creative stories. Peace and hugs
@ carrie, you are very welcome and I am glad you felt moved by the poem. peace
Another meaningful hub I wrote with a heavy heart, it was that time of year and I felt very moved by the people living on the edge, homeless and struggling in the cold winter streets of America.
Dear Ken,
This was one of your best of all time. I loved the song too..There is a saying that most people are one paycheck away from being in the streets. Circumstances wether from their own hand or ones out of their control causes a spiral downfall. We as a human race cannot let them go unnoticed..For every hand we feed or touch may be keeping ourselves one hand or one morsal away from being in the streets as well..A testament to our hearts..Beautiful writing about homelessness that is everywhere we turn...
God bless,
Sunnie
Your poetry often makes me cry and this is no different. Life can be very hollow and pointless.
Sunne Day so true, so true. With the ways things are going in your country and mine, there is more and more worries about getting closer to that street. The middle class is disappearing rapidly and it's becoming the POOR and the RICH no middle. More and more jobs are being lost, homes lost, money scarce and people heading to the streets. How very sad, pray to God this changes soon for the better before we all end up in the streets with cardboard signs begging the RICH to throw us some alms.
@Flora, sorry to make you cry, yet for my poetry to have meaning it has to stir the heart and soul of my readers and thankfully often it does. Yes life can be hollow and pointless, but we got to keep going, not giving up on life. Hugs
I'm bumping this one forward as a reminder to those of us who spent some hard times on the cold benches, back lanes, park benches and under cardboard houses, to be thankful for our blessings and being saved. Peace and blessings from the Saddle to those hurting this time of the year.
This is fabulous and heart breaking. Glad to see you are back.
Thank you tammyswallow for your kind words, Yes I am back. A month of reading poetry and not writing any was very tough indeed, my Muse was not amused:-) I brought this forward, it's a difficult time of the year for me as well. Not because of finances or comforts, but for the comfort of my heart and soul. Without my children in my life for years, Christmas plays havoc on my mind. Thank you again for your thoughts. Hugs and Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Beautifully haunting. I'm glad you shared this again. I'm thankful to have read this. I listened to the music as I read the poem. I love this song. And your words are so powerful, as I could see it. So many poor lost souls that don't ask for or deserve what happens to them. Tears to my eyes...Thank you for reminding me of my blessings. I will try to be thankful during this stressful holiday season. We should all be thankful to be safe--and warm. Hugs.
Bless you Victoria Lynn for your kind words of inspiration and hope for those less fortunate than we. I am very thankful, and will never forget where I came from. I survived and many didn't, I pray that the people hurting will find a way to stay safe and get fed and nourished by those who believe in sharing and giving of themselves to those less fortunate. Hugs from me to you.
I had to scroll a loooong time to leave a comment--evidence of what a wonderful piece of work this is and how much people here love your work. I love the premise and the execution of this piece--it it does all that a wonderful piece of poetry should do--tugs at the heart and helps me to empathize ----beautifully done.
Thank you AudreyHowitt for your lovely comment. I am thankful to be amongst such wonderful writers and poets such as yourself. I find when I visualize my scribes before I lay them down they take on a life of their own. This was a very tough write, it took me a long time to push the publish button, tears blinded me at times. Peace and blessings to you my poetic friend.
And to you saddlerider--this can be a difficult time of the year--one with memories and regrets and peace--
Yes many memories, some sad and some joyous and for me many regrets. But I am at peace in my soul, thank you again for your comment. Hugs
Beautiful, touching and thought provoking. But by the grace of God . . .
ExoandYourMind, yes indeed, but by the grace of God. Thank you for reading this poignant piece.
I thought I commented.. I really loved this it is down right beautiful..Oh My I am crying... this is so wonderful thank you for sharing and writing.. love the poem and love the video.. You are awesome... well done.. I voted and awesome
I keep trying to comment and it just goes away... trying to tell you how beautiful it is
Deborah Brooks thank you very very much for your lovely comments about my work. This was scribed by me last Christmas and I bumped it forward for another read and it's getting that exposure all over again. It is a very poignant piece and I had tears in my own eyes when I wrote it. Merry Christmas to you and yours and may the homeless find peace, shelter, food and above all else kindness from us the more fortunate. Hugs
Merry Christmas to you.. lovely piece...
Thank you Deborah Brooks for your kind words and a BIG Merry Christmas as well to you. May the people in the streets find shelter from the cold, may the children be fed, may those of us who have plenty be generous and give of ourselves and our resources to help feed the hungry and stop famine in our world.
I pray that God will watch over and protect all the people who are in the streets of our world starving and cold. This is my
Christmas Hallelujah.
How could I missed such a beautiful written poem by you? Sad but brilliant! I love it. Vote up and always! :) Wow, I have keep strolling down to comment! LOL. Lots of love and a warm hug! Merry Christmas! :)
Chanroth
Thank you chanroth, there was a moment, a dismal evening when my Muse, my candle and my Quill took over my soul, this is what came forth, I wept like a baby when I laid my pen to rest. I was drained and my heart ached for the people in the streets. For by the grace of God there I be...may they find hope and strength to survive. Peace and blessings to you.
Such a powerful poem! Lives lived. Lives destroyed. Hope for all in the final Hallelujah. Great song. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Yes indeed Peggy W. Hope for all in the final Hallelujah. May they find solace, comfort, warmth, food and love through this blessed time of the year. Hugs to you and Merry Christmas.
Life can change so quickly. At this time of year we should remember those in need and bear in mind it could be any of us. Love Leonard Cohen's version of Hallelujah
ethel smith, how true indeed. Let's not forget our fellow man/woman/child no matter what their situation may be in life. We must show love and kindness whenever and however we can, let the haves show with the those with very little. It will lift your spirits and give peace to your soul. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment Ethel.
Wow! What more can be said that hasn't already been said (above) about your beautiful prose about such a sad situation?!? We don't know if the architect you have written about went the route he did because of his parents' lack of parenting skills, lack of expectations or at least too little or if it was just another case of too many dollars and too little "cents" (sense)! Or all the above. Regardless, it still hurts to see and read about God's wayward sheep.
When we see a movie star (thinking Charlie Sheen and others) who have everything money could buy, but slowly lose it all because of abusing alcohol and other drugs, it's truly sad.
However, instead of making them out as an example of WHY our youth should "just say no", the media helps exploit them in a media circus fashion. What is wrong with us?!? Why can't we refuse to watch such heartbreaking stories, show outrage by lambasting and blacklisting, when necessary, the media outlets that keep spoon-feeding us things that we should not want to watch? A newspaper editor said recently that front page news is almost always bad because bad news sells papers. Sad, but true.
It's no wonder we have such a drug problem in the world today and why we are allowing the drug dealers and gangs to have the upper hand in too many cities. When I heard from our local Sheriff's deputies that the gangs and drug dealers are recruiting elementary school students to help them sell drugs in our schools, I was in shock. And, the worst part? The only way they can get out of these gangs is to die! We should all be outraged and step up to make some changes. Maybe we should recruit the retirees, the stay at home Moms and Dads and the second and third shift workers to work at the local schools as "sentries" to escort the children from class to class, to stand with them on the playgrounds, etc. until we drive the drugs OUT of our schools?!? It may not stop the recruiting; however, it would make it more difficult for them.
Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox. But, your story about the architect is just one example of where we are failing our youth, not just as parents, but as inhabitants of this great world. Thanks, again, keep up the wonderful work and continue sharing it with us. May God bless you!
Thanks for sharing your beautiful talents with us. I hope you will be sharing your artistic talent for drawing, painting and writing alike in future books. I will do my part in getting the word out about your works. Happy New Year!
suziecat7 Level 5 Commenter 18 months ago
Wow - What a beautiful and heart-wrenching poem. "Christmas with nothing but what he has on his faceless name'. Really good stuff.