PETER

Peter was a boy I met a few years ago.Only a young lad,but homeless.He had a very un kept look about him,and I did something I dodn't usually do.I spoke to him.Usually I'd walk the other side of the road to avoid these kids especially these days,you never know when a knife or something even worse is going to be produced.But I got chatting to Peter,who was infact a very afraid little boy.

PETER

I SAW THIS CHILD,
A CHILD OF THE STREET.
HIS CLOTHES WERE ALL TATTERED,
NO SHOES ON HIS FEET.
HIS HAIR WAS ALL MATTED,
HE WAS DIRTY AS WELL.
NO BATH FOR WEEKS,
I COULD TELL,BY THE SMELL.
SO I ASKED HIM,"HOW COME,
ARE YOU LIKE THIS BY CHOICE?"
AND,I'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER,
THESE WORDS,AND HIS VOICE.

"MY MOTHER DON'T WANT ME,
AND DAD ? FROM AN OVERDOSE DEAD.
THE HOSTELS ARE FULL,
CAN'T GIVE ME A BED.
SO,I ROAM THE STREETS.
HIDING FROM FROM THUGS
SLEEPING WITH BOY LOVERS,
TO GET MONEY FOR DRUGS."

"BUT,I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE,
I'D RATHER BE HOME.
BUT I DON'T REALLY HAVE ONE
SO THE STREETS DO I ROAM."
I REACHED IN MY POCKET
AND FOUND A FEW QUID.
AND HANDED IT OVER,TO
MY NEW FRIEND,THE KID.

HE TOOK IT,AND THANKED ME,
WENT TO HEAD ON HIS WAY
TO THE PARK BENCH TO SLEEP
FOR THE REST OF THE DAY.
"WHERE WILL YOU GO TO NOW?"
TO THE BOY I THEN SAID.
"I REALLY DON'T KNOW"
HE UTTERED,DROPPING HIS HEAD.

WELL,A FEW YEARS HAVE PAST,
SINCE I FIRST SAW THE LAD.
AND I OFTEN THINK BACK
TO THE CHAT THAT WE HAD.
I'D REGULARLY SEE HIM
WHEN I WALK THROUGH THE SHOPS
USUALLY DRUNK,
OR IN TROUBLE WITH COPS.

BUT I HADN'T SEEN PETER,
FOR A MONTH NOW OR SO.
WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED?
WHERE DID HE GO?
HEADLINE "MAN FOUND DEAD"
WAS THE BOY,T'WHOM I'D SPOKEN.
NO CAUSE OF DEATH,BUT--
WE ALL KNOW,HEART-BROKEN.