Image: – oprisco
She lived in lofty abodes
He lived in shallow ditches
She dressed in finery
He dressed in what came his way.
She dreamed of love of a life
He dreamed of surviving one more day
She dressed in shoes that displayed her toes
He dressed in shoes that never owned a hole for toes.
They passed each day
She on her way to work
Her eyes downcast
Avoiding contact
Noticing the scruffy man
Who sat outside her condo foyer.
He was a blob in her life
Not sure if he was human
But curious as to why he was there.
He awaited her passing each morning
Sat so she might notice him
Knowing he was nothing in her eyes.
But he admired her finery
Her poise, her focus well away from him.
The girl living in a lofty abode
Never found love
She searched and found
A world devoid of true love.
Every man wanting his piece of flesh
She wasn’t going to give anything away.
One day she dressed in dowdy jeans
Her knees poking out, her shirt torn,
Her finery left on the shelf of her lofty abode
She sat beside the man, took in his smell
Looked closely into his eyes
Saw substance, saw a person,
Talked about her life
Listened to his.
As the sun rose she took him to breakfast
Watched as he are hungrily
Chatted to him over coffee
Realised they had never once smiled
Saw him resigned to his life.
Later she emerged from her lofty abode
Resplendent in her finery
She walked past the man
Resplendent in his poverty
Dropped him a note in her hurry
As life had a hustle and bustle
She knew she had to keep up
Finery came at a price after all.
Each Sunday she came down from her lofty abode
Gathered the man, his rags, his smell
Walked till dawn with him
Each telling the other their story
Then taking him to breakfast
He expressed his gratitude.
She expressed her desire for tolerance
Awareness and compassion.
The man gathered himself inside his rags
Looked at her, her youth so obvious
Her privilege apparent
‘Be you,’ he said. ‘You’ll get to like her.’
Written for: https://mindlovemiserysmenagerie.wordpress.com/2015/09/01/photo-challenge-76-hope-and-houses-september-1-2015/
Morpethroad 
‘Be you,’ he said. ‘You’ll get to like her.’: I hope she takes his advice.
I hope so too….thanks for stopping by
A different take on the photo than you would expect. Thoroughly enjoyed this one, Michael 🙂
Thank you so much Lyn, lovely to have you stop by.
I love how how always put an unexpected twist on the challenges 🙂
Yes you are right, it so often plays a big part.
On the road, stopped for a cup of soup, and now you’ve given me this wonderful post to ponder. “Be you”…simple and beautiful. Thanks Michael😊
I’m sure the soup tastes better for your reading. Thanks Mandy for stopping by.
I love the line, “resplendent in his poverty” most. And the ending is fabulous too.
Thank you so much Val, lovely to see you drop by again.
You’re most welcome, Michael.
Really like this poem, enjoyed reading it this morning. Nice blog as well
Thank you Gretal and thanks for the follow. Have a good day. Michael