However Troubled the Day

Under a rainbow of rags,
oblivious to boots 
that passed by my face
at the pace of sound

I slept like a babe,
like a child,
a drunk, 
like a tramp -
a boy, girl, woman 
and man.

Noticed, unnoticed,
derided, avoided,
laughed at, pitied,
fumed at and spat upon

I danced in the dirt,
begged with a bowl,
stole through the night
like a fox in the bins
silent, I howled. 

I was labeled a Waster and Scrounger, 
called User and Thief, Scum, CRIPPLE,  
BEGGAR and LEPPER! 
There are PEOPLE round here - 
if you know what is good for you, 
we're WARNING you,
you'd better Move on!

They swept me away 
with the dust that stuttered
and glittered and rose to the ether
when thousands of times I died,
only to fall and return.

And by dawn I crept back 
bleary eyed, miraculously
younger and older, weaker and wiser 
shyer and bolder than ever.

A hand on my shoulder,
more gentle than cold
guided me this way
and that for a pittance
of money, took my body -
devoured it and threw it back up 
on the Tarmac, like a rag doll.

I ate, I starved, or accepted 
relief from my pain,
had to pay, then - again and again
by picking the pockets of life
and it's wife who had done me 
no favours, but to slide me a sidewise glance 
and maybe chuck me a crust
now and then. 

I am me, you are you,
I am you, you are me,
we are drifting or struggling 
along networks of tangling pathways 
all heading to heaven, or hell 
where no doubt that all things being equal
we will meet up again
at the end, though no one knows when,
or however easy, or troubled our day.