Red

A prose poem, a promise, & some Grinchin’ bitchin’.

Photo via Examiner.com 2011

This is a poem I wrote & posted in my Wordpress blog back in December, 2011 when an epidemic of families living in their cars was big news. The heartbreaking 2023 documentary Half Homeless: Living in Cars shows that nothing much has changed in 12, now 14, years. American families still face this reality. This is happening as unserious, out of touch politicians & partisans cosplay on Tik Tok and Instagram for popularity clicks. Maybe they should try living in their luxury tax payer funded government vehicles for a month or so. It’s time for them to stop singing and dancing, get off social media, grow up and get to work.

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Red

Brown eyes peer through a back seat window, gazing at the sparkling white powder on the city sidewalks. A small mittened hand swipes a red runny nose then dips quickly back into the pocket of the threadbare rumpled jacket from which it emerged. Festive shoppers with bulging bags walk gaily down the street as brown eyes watch in wonder. The family in the old red Chevy sits in the background of busy streets and merry anticipation, waiting at a red light as the sputtering heater blows hot then cold and the children sniffle and cough the carol of the hungry and homeless. Down the snowy street it chugs, straining on its last fumes to reach the red door of the shelter where warmth and food and one cold night off the streets awaits if the line isn’t too long or the shelter too full. Belief is a word pregnant with hope.

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Family Promise helps American families facing homelessness find shelter and stability through community resources. 82% of funding goes to programs that directly affect families. Family Promise has earned a 4 star rating from Charity Navigator for 10 straight years.