undefeated | poem

poetry

undefeated

you haven’t really known

freedom

until you’ve found yourself

with nowhere

left

to go.

out there

you lay awake

on a bunkbed

in a hostel.

with the dawn hours

for company

you plan

another escape.

somewhere

far beyond

the bulb light

away from a box room

with no view

is another place.

you are

have become

one of the unrecognisable

faces.  

sirens and screams

remind you

there is seldom

time enough

in this world

spent alone.

the bloated

the skeletal

bodies rest

on one side.

smell of rot

and sweat

roaring snores

so heavy

they remind you

peace can still

be found among

those who have

little reason  

to wake up.

but these ones

they do

wake up.

some in need

of drink

others hungry

for a hot plate

a job

a body

they can hold.  

most depart early

for a train

or bus

or long walk

one that will

nearly break them

takes them closer

toward nowhere  

but somewhere

absent of expectation

want

desire.

nothing more is required

than another

springless mattress

another wall to face

another

midnight groan.

the bed

riddled with bugs

covered in stains

forever reminds them

that some men

and women

still know how

to let it all

pour out.

even when it seems

a bony frame

scabbed skin

clumps of hair

that grows

like moss

through skin cracks

are in fact

despite the loss

the poverty

the hurt

addiction

reminders

for those

who never went

beyond comfort

that they are

still

undefeated.