Frozen Silence

Is cold
Even very, very cold
I shuffle along the streets
Always shuffle
Nowhere
Without purpose
Hungry
Every day
Every night
Many years

I try to rest on the cardboard
But in winter
In frozen winter, is cold
Too cold
So I have to walk
Only I have nowhere to go
At night
Especially at night
All station
All shops
Bookshops
Libraries
Are closed

Dawn
The coldest time
I fell frozen
Seven o'clock
Is still far away
At this time
Passage will be open
Day centre for homeless people

Warm place and tea
Everyone waiting in the queue
Since five o'clock
Long queue
Of frozen people
Wrapped up
In sleeping bags
Blankets
Many clothes. Is cold
Even very, very cold
Everyone looks at the door
But 7 o'clock
Seems to be forever far away

30 minutes, 20'
Someone vomit behind me
Probably ate mouldy food
From the bin

15'

Is cold
Even very, very cold
Someone said
A big Scottich man dies last
Night
In the park
Police found him frozen
Itry to guess who he was
But homeless people are so
anonymous
We don't know too many names
Frozen silence
Who will be next?
Maybe I

KRZYSZTOF ORLOWSKI

This poem first appeared in 'Street Lights: The Voice of the Streets' (The Big Issue #780)
Republished with kind permission of the author and The Big Issue