Merry Christmas from everyone at Simon on the Streets. Here's a Christmas Eve poem, in the style of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, written by one of our supporters. We hope you enjoy it.
Thank you to every one of you who has supported us this year. We are overwhelmed by your support, which ensures we can support people experiencing homelessness every day of the year.
It was the night before Christmas
and out on the streets
The rain and traffic pouring to
their own beat.
The lights were obscured and the
voices just shouted,
Frightening a woman who no longer
counted
She remembered alone the tree when
she was little,
Festooned in tinsel and baubles
and glitter.
Mama and Dad were still then
together,
She wished she could stay there
forever.
But loss and sadness had ripped
them apart
And forever damaged what once was her
heart.
Hands from the night had offered a
cure
But when she took it hopes became
fewer.
And the ones who gave it were mean
and cruel
And everyone she once knew thought
her a fool
Then she was so alone and bitter
and unkind
Until one day she became her only
friend in her mind.
When the night bent in beneath
arch and bridge
She slept where she could among
the garbage.
And dreamed of voices whispering
in hatred
Believing inside that she was
wicked and wasted
The whole city knew her and said
she was hopeless
But when Robin met her, he saw she
was friendless.
And though she was rude, and nasty
and sad
In patience and care he kept
coming back.
He didn’t want nothing, and didn’t
push her away
But brought her a drink and asked
bout her day.
Then one day it happened, she didn’t
know why
But she was hoping to see him as
she looked to the sky.
When she sees him, she’ll tell him
about that Christmas Eve
When her last friends and family
told her to leave;
She wonders briefly if the pain won’t
her defeat,
For maybe there is hope with Simon
on the Streets.