We met her<\/p>\n
she just came out of the blue<\/p>\n
she just was there<\/p>\n
a \u00a0women<\/p>\n
with a little wheelie basket<\/p>\n
and white hair<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
that she could have been homeless<\/p>\n
but she told us that she was<\/p>\n
ever since the 70’s<\/p>\n
and that was just because<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
of circumstances<\/p>\n
much of that<\/p>\n
beyond, her control<\/p>\n
she had been sleeping<\/p>\n
on park benches<\/p>\n
and how can one console<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
her spirit<\/p>\n
and her loneliness<\/p>\n
and her reason to go on<\/p>\n
slipping through the net<\/p>\n
she swam away<\/p>\n
and \u00a0she was gone<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
her son was in New Zealand<\/p>\n
so very far away<\/p>\n
she was almost 80<\/p>\n
imagine that<\/p>\n
to pay<\/p>\n
so high a price<\/p>\n
for circumstances<\/p>\n
out of her control<\/p>\n
it was hard to keep the tears<\/p>\n
from falling<\/p>\n
and this women’s soul<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
we could join her but for fortune<\/span><\/p>\n it can happen<\/p>\n to anyone<\/p>\n and today<\/p>\n those nets<\/p>\n have larger gauge’s<\/p>\n they nylon seams can run<\/p>\n <\/p>\n far more of us are falling through<\/span><\/p>\n women \u00a0on the streets<\/p>\n supposedly they are down and out’s<\/p>\n what is it we can do<\/p>\n <\/p>\n her husband had bought a franchise<\/p>\n McDonald’s but then he<\/p>\n left her for a younger women<\/p>\n God knows where he be<\/p>\n <\/p>\n she heard that he had sold the business<\/p>\n but by this time her life<\/p>\n was spiraling<\/p>\n out of \u00a0control<\/p>\n so laden down with \u00a0strife<\/p>\n <\/p>\n she was forced<\/span><\/p>\n onto the streets<\/p>\n such really awful thoughts<\/span><\/p>\n all she had was the clothes she wore<\/p>\n and a bank account \u00a0of<\/p>\n nought’s<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Imagine stepping on the street<\/p>\n imagining the worst<\/p>\n how had she got to this stage<\/p>\n in her life<\/p>\n had somebody cursed<\/p>\n and was she blaming<\/span><\/p>\n all and sundry<\/p>\n were her objectives<\/p>\n to<\/p>\n go out and make something of herself<\/p>\n what now could she do<\/p>\n <\/p>\n the streets are very hostile<\/p>\n having no place of abode<\/p>\n cuts you off from everything<\/p>\n a soul who walks the road<\/p>\n who sleeps upon park benches<\/p>\n who is moved off all the time<\/p>\n it hardens you<\/p>\n but “Pheobe”<\/p>\n illustrates, how she did climb<\/p>\n <\/p>\n up, not down<\/p>\n she jettisoned<\/p>\n the ideas she had had<\/p>\n she learned a great deal<\/p>\n about the country<\/p>\n and \u00a0felt a little sad<\/p>\n <\/p>\n about the type of government<\/p>\n she realized were there<\/p>\n and how she was below their radar<\/p>\n though still able to share<\/p>\n <\/p>\n the countryside around her<\/p>\n the natural world where she<\/p>\n slept and sat and contemplated<\/p>\n and talked to folks<\/p>\n like me<\/p>\n <\/p>\n in her world was communication<\/p>\n distancing herself<\/p>\n from the hum drum world of mediocrity<\/p>\n on no one’s shelf<\/p>\n <\/p>\n she had the march of freedom<\/p>\n she learned she had too, fast<\/p>\n homeless since the seventies<\/p>\n we were both aghast<\/p>\n at this so gentle women<\/p>\n her face so soft and warm<\/p>\n wandering the streets of London<\/p>\n facing \u00a0storm after storm<\/p>\n <\/p>\n of course she had some memories<\/p>\n recalling those that made<\/p>\n her smile and oh! so gently<\/p>\n though many now did fade<\/p>\n Statin’s were a pet hate<\/p>\n though others surfaced too<\/p>\n she had a wealth of knowledge<\/p>\n but knew what she must do<\/p>\n <\/p>\n to maintain her equilibrium<\/p>\n to not let herself go<\/p>\n to be proud her name was “Pheobe”<\/p>\n and that constancy did show<\/p>\n <\/p>\n she took our names<\/p>\n and internet sites<\/p>\n and was interested to hear<\/p>\n about the great Haarp<\/p>\n playing in the heavens<\/p>\n she was clear<\/p>\n <\/p>\n a women where adversity<\/p>\n had honed her till today<\/p>\n she had all her faculties present<\/p>\n as she walked away<\/p>\n <\/p>\n was she a sweet angel?<\/p>\n disguised to throw us, we<\/p>\n were moved by her<\/p>\n I cried for her<\/p>\n I found it hard to be<\/p>\n close to her<\/p>\n she emanated light<\/p>\n so much of it<\/p>\n and nearing 80 years of age<\/p>\n was still so proudly fit<\/p>\n <\/p>\n a women bent on homelessness<\/p>\n a soothsayer was she<\/p>\n on the ground<\/p>\n she’d not been drowned<\/p>\n by the society<\/p>\n <\/p>\n she stood for what she believed in<\/p>\n she hankered not for more<\/p>\n she was a beacon<\/p>\n a of \u00a0purest light<\/p>\n of that we both were sure<\/p>\n <\/p>\n at Leicester Square<\/p>\n she left us<\/p>\n she mingled with the throng<\/p>\n her favourite park bench<\/p>\n she on course<\/p>\n really it wasn’t wrong<\/p>\n to me though lying in my bed<\/p>\n I wondered how she fared<\/p>\n on rainy days<\/p>\n on snowy days<\/p>\n and for her I just felt scared<\/p>\n <\/p>\n But Pheobe clearly wasn’t<\/p>\n the highway was her home<\/p>\n she kept herself together<\/p>\n her life now was to roam<\/p>\n <\/p>\n how circumstances \u00a0change us<\/p>\n how homelessness can be<\/p>\n felt by such a women<\/p>\n who we were pleased to see<\/p>\n <\/p>\n she never held her hand out<\/p>\n not once did she exclaim<\/p>\n that she wanted our money<\/p>\n she left our hearts aflame<\/p>\n she never begged one \u00a0drop from us<\/span><\/p>\n her calmness in repose<\/p>\n speaking quietly speaking knowledgeably<\/p>\n in the most attractive prose<\/p>\n why she thought to stop<\/p>\n and talk with us<\/p>\n nobody knows<\/p>\n but she touched our hearts<\/p>\n she really did<\/p>\n and perhaps one day she will<\/p>\n find this poem about herself<\/p>\n and realize our thrill<\/p>\n <\/p>\n at meeting and exchanging ideas with her<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n was she from<\/p>\n where was she going<\/p>\n her face was soft<\/p>\n and she<\/p>\n stopped to speak<\/p>\n and she spoke so well<\/p>\n <\/p>\n sent a copy through to<\/p>\n enquiries@crisis.org.uk<\/p>\n and to<\/p>\n info@shelter.org.uk<\/p>\n I wonder who she really was<\/p>\n and what was her name really<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We met her she just came out of the blue she just was there a \u00a0women with a little wheelie basket and white hair that she could have been homeless but she told us that she was ever since … Continue reading