Homelessness Poem by Jim Yerman

They found him sleeping in the park…
the children immediately made a fuss
"He has no tag, he must be a stray, " they said…
"Can we take him home with us? "

"He's so skinny." they implored.
"No telling the last time he was fed."
Dad cautioned, " But he's so dirty and smelly."
"He just needs a bath! " they said.

"We'll take good care of him." the children begged.
"No longer will he roam."
"After all, " they looked at him with eyes wide open,
"every dog deserves a home."

Dad looked at his children…looked at the dog
then smiled graciously…
The children had their dog…
and the dog…a family.

This seems like a happy ending…
but only partially so….
for in that same park slept a homeless man
he, too, with no place to go.

He, too, was dirty and smelly
with only the park bench for his bed
He, too, was very skinny…
Who knows the last time he was fed?

Both man and dog were in the park.
Both could use a helping hand.
But the family opted to help the dog.
and ignore the homeless man.

We don't know how the man came to be there
and the dog will never tell.
And, yes, helping the dog is wonderful…
but shouldn't we help the man as well?

What kind of world are we living in
when we will help stray dogs whenever we can…
but we will step over, walk right by, walk around…
and ignore the homeless man?

There are many homeless people in our country…
too many to catalogue….
I wonder…what would it take show them the same compassion…
the same love and caring…
we show our homeless dogs?