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J
JPM
Oct 19, 2007 ⭐ See this poem's read count — a supporter feature

Skid Row

You seen them in the thirties men bereft of dough

Drinking methylated spirits those men on skid row

Some scruffy individual will stop you in the street

My god that smell i can tell you its not too sweet

And when they speak its not to ask for the time

Its the same old tune buddy can you spare a dime

Put a buck in that grubby mit coming from the coat

Then walk away as a thanks comes from his throat

When you`ve gone a safe distance fifty yards or so

Look he`s put the bite on another unsuspecting joe

Whatever job you do make sure you save some dough

Or else you`ll end up like that guy living on skid row

— JPM, Oct 19, 2007
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Critiques

J

jacks

18 years 9 months ago

well writen

This is a topic I have been thinking about too much. Where I live there are tons of vagrants always begging. Very frustrating and angering on the wrong days. You captured the "con aspect" very well. Jacks
I

IKnowNoBox

18 years 9 months ago

Sir you have given a pen to the...

intimadated,yes it is true.the approch of the down and out has stood the test of time.I discourage anybody from giving to those bums that accost or nearly accost citizens in this manner. a person who sits quietly with a sign,or performs in some manner is the person who gets my loose change. Well put JPM In ink David
weirdelf

weirdelf

18 years 9 months ago

Until the appalling John

Until the appalling John Howard became PM of our embarrassed country there were no beggars on Australian streets. Then cuts to mental health services created a whole new class of homeless people unable to care for themselves, begging. They were promptly copied by the junkies and alcos. It is worth reflecting that in a developed country there is absolutely no excuse for people to be in this situation and yes, the blame belongs squarely with right-wing economic pragmatist politicians. May there be such a thing as re-incarnation and they all die and come back in lower income society with mental health problems. cheers, Jess

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