STILL HERE
STILL HERE
S.JENSEN @2017
FOLLOWING
ME DOWN
THE HILL
IS THE SINGLE
CROW
YOUNGER
THAN THE
OLD ONE
WHEN IT WAS
TWO
NOW IT IS
ONE
FARTHER DOWN
A WOODPECKER
IS PECKING
AT A STUMP
THEN STILL
FARTHER DOWN
THERE IS
A DOVE SITTING
ON THE WIRE
UP ABOVE
THEN IN AND
OUT OF THE TREES
IS THE
BLUE BIRD
CARDINAL
AND FARTHER DOWN
A ROBIN
IS MOVING
DIRT LOOKING
FOR FOOD
SO I STOP
AND WATCH HIM
EAT THE TWO
WORMS
THEN I MOVE
HE FLIES OFF
DOWNTOWN
I REACH MY DESTINATION
ART IS PRINTED
AND PUT
IN BOX
READY TO SHIP
YET I HAVE
TO WAIT
TIL MULAH COMES
IN TO SHIP IT
AND SO
I MAKE THAT
GAMBLE
ONCE AGAIN
THAT I CAN
DO THIS
AND KEEP
MY HEAD ABOVE
WATER SOME HOW
I FEEL LIKE
THE SEA GULL
IN THE SKY
LOOKING
FOR SCAVENGING
AND BARELY
GETTING BY
AND
YET I AM
OK
CONTENT
IN THIS
SITUATION
CAUSE THERE
JUST ISN’T
ANY OTHER
WAY TO BE
WALKING BACK
UP THE HILL
ITS SO QUIET
NO BIRDS
JUST A FEW CARS
GO BY
MUSIC IN PLAYER
DIES
CAUSE BATTERY
SAYS ITS DONE
WISHING I HAD
BROUGHT MY
CAMERA
YET I DIDN’T
LEG IS KILLING ME
SO I TAKE
MY BREAKS
RESTING
IN SPOTS UP
AS I GO
I RUN INTO A LADY
WITH A STROLLER
SHE SAYS
LOOK AT YOU
MAKING THIS HILL
I SAY I DO IT
ALL THE TIME
ITS NOT MUCH
OPTIONS
SHE SAYS THIS
IS MY FIRST
TREK
AND
OH HOW DO YOU DO IT
I SAY CAUSE
IT IS WHAT I GOT
TO DO
SURE I ACHE
SURE ITS NOT EASY
BUT I DO IT
CAUSE I DON’T
HAVE A CHOICE
BUT TO WALK
SHE SAYS WELL
YOU DO IT WITH A SMILE
I SAY ITS CAUSE
I SEE THE THINGS
ON MY WAY
AND IT KEEPS ME GOING
PLUS
THE MUSIC PUSHES
ME FARTHER
AND MAKES
ME SMILE
EVEN MORE
SHE SAYS
WELL YOU WILL
NOW BE MY
INSPIRATION
TO KEEP
DOING THIS
I SAY HAVE
A GREAT DAY
AND
CARRY ON
UP THE HILL
BUS GOES BY
DROPPING PEOPLE
OFF AT THE SPOT
WHERE WE ALL
HAVE TO WALK
THE REST OF
THE HILL UP
ITS A COMPLICATED
SITUATION
SO I JUST ENDURE
IT ALL THE WAY
SAVES THE HALF MARK
AND MY SEVENTY FIVE CENTS
FOR A COFFEE
PEOPLE LOOK
AT ME AND
SAY WHY
DO YOU WALK
ALL THE WAY
I AM LIKE
WHY NOT
IF I GOT TO
GO HALF WAY
MAY AS WELL
GO ALL THE WAY
IT MAKES NO
DIFFERENCE
WHEN KNEE ACHES
ANYHOW
SO IT IS WHAT IT IS
HARDSHIPS
ARE JUST THAT
WE ALL
MAKE THE BEST
OF WHAT
WE HAVE
AND WHAT WE CAN
AND KEEP
GOING ON
CAUSE ITS
ALL WE HAVE
CAUSE FOR ME
THERE IS NO OPTIONS
OTHER THAN
I WON’T GIVE UP
I GET HOME
AND FRIEND
CALLS
SAYING SHE IS
SO TIRED AND
DOESN’T SEE
A FUTURE
SO WHY IS SHE
LIVING
AND I GIVE
HER MY EXAMPLE
OF WHAT I JUST
DONE
AND MY REASONS
TO KEEP FIGHTING
AND BELIEVING
AND LIVING
LIFE
CAUSE
I TOLD HER
THAT I DON’T
LOOK FOR FUTURE
I LOOK IN THE NOW
AND THE MOMENT
I AM IN EACH SECOND
WHILE I AM HERE
AND CHERISH IT
TREASURE IT
LIKE A HORDE
FOR EACH
LITTLE POSITIVE
SO WEIGHS
THE NEGATIVE
AND I LOOK
TO IT LIKE GOLD
I WILL
KEEP BUSY
I WILL
KEEP CREATING
AND
KEEP DOING
WHETHER
I MAKE ANYTHING
OF IT OR NOT
CAUSE
I LOVE IT AND IT
KEEPS ME
GOING
NOT SURE IF
THAT WORKED
FOR HER
BUT
I SO KNOW HOW
SHE FEELS
INSIDE
I AM TIRED
TOO
BUT I
JUST REFUSE
THE SIX FOOT UNDER
OPTION
TIL IT CALLS I
MAKE IT WORK
FOR ME
NOT AGAINST ME
AS MUCH AS I
CAN
AND CONTROL
WHAT I CAN
AND NOT WORRY
ON WHAT I CAN’T
ANYMORE
…
OH
FARTHER
AND
FARTHER
I TRAVEL
IN THIS
I LOOK AT MY MAIL
AFTER THE CALL
AND GET ANGRY
AGAIN
CAUSE MORE MONEY
THAT I REALLY DON’T
HAVE
IS SOMETHING
I HAVE TO FIND
FROM THIN AIR
TO PAY RENT
THAT THOSE
I ASKED FOR AID
REFUSE TO HELP WITH
FOR THE
LIMITS THOSE
RULES GIVE
SIGHING
I JUST PUT
IT ON THE TABLE
WITH ALL THE REST
AND KEEP
SMILING
CAUSE
MY KID TEXTS ME
A PIC THAT
SAYS HAPPY
MOTHER’S DAY
I LOVE YOU MOM
AND SO
THAT POSITIVE
FIXED
THE NEGATIVE
AND I SIT
AND FOR THREE HOURS
CREATE MORE
ART
FOR THE PAGES
ON THE WALLS
TO SELL
WHICH
KEEPS ME
ACTUALLY WITH
A ROOF OVER
MY HEAD
OR A MEAL IN
MY STOMACH
AND ITS
ALL GOOD
CAUSE
ITS ALL
THERE IS
UNCONDITIONAL
LIFE, LOVE, AND LIGHT
THE ONLY
PATH
I WILL EVER
TRAVEL
