John-Ward Leighton
Urban Gypsy Campground
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Is Anybody Home?
HopelessHOPELESS, HOPELESS, HOPELESS
Let me know when I’ve done the right thing,
the urban gypsy was camped in our alley
something we really couldn’t allow.
We knocked on his or her door
but there was no answer.
I was not about stick my head
inside his canvas domicile
even if he or she was not supposed to be there
he or she had the right not to have their
privacy invaded.
What to do?
I phoned the Bylaw enforcement
you know the bunch that runs the ticket nazis
they said it was a police matter.
So I phoned the non emergency line
waited fifteen minutes
and listened to oft repeated messages
not to hang up before a young woman
came on the line.
I explained the problem to her
and she said she would alert the patrol.
I went out and took some photographs
and tried once more to make contact
but had no joy there.
Back in my crib when
the rain started
I thought about all without shelter
and felt guilty my warm place and full stomach.
My thoughts went to the owner of the tent in our alley.
This morning after my coffee
I went back to the alley
and through the grey haze of rain
saw the tent was gone and
wondered what it was like to be
out in the rain and
hopeless, hopeless, hopeless.
©Copyright October 16, 2008 by John-Ward Leighton