Feeding the Bums
They would sit on the tracks and beg for food37 total reviews
Comment from Sally Law
This is a great contest entry and my vote for sure, mystery poetess. The photo is authentic and shows the loving heart of a five-year-old. Precious offering in rhyming verse. Sending you my best today as always and best wishes for the vote.
Sally Law :))
reply by the author on 22-Oct-2024
This is a great contest entry and my vote for sure, mystery poetess. The photo is authentic and shows the loving heart of a five-year-old. Precious offering in rhyming verse. Sending you my best today as always and best wishes for the vote.
Sally Law :))
Comment Written 20-Oct-2024
reply by the author on 22-Oct-2024
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Thank you so much for the wonderful review, awesome comments and the lovely six stars for this one, Sally.
You have no idea how much it means to me. Thank you with all my heart for the six stars too, my awesome friend.
Thanks again.
Love, Debi
Comment from June Sargent
There is a lot to be said for compassion. Especially at such a young age! It could have been dangerous for you and your siblings to feed the bums. But, your heart was in the right place. Great story in a poem!
There is a lot to be said for compassion. Especially at such a young age! It could have been dangerous for you and your siblings to feed the bums. But, your heart was in the right place. Great story in a poem!
Comment Written 20-Oct-2024
Comment from ESOSTINE
Thanks for sharing your story when you were just five years old. I am glad you escaped the punishment as you were a minor at that age. I love the flow and the excellent rhymes. Well done, dear. Good luck in the contest.
Thanks for sharing your story when you were just five years old. I am glad you escaped the punishment as you were a minor at that age. I love the flow and the excellent rhymes. Well done, dear. Good luck in the contest.
Comment Written 20-Oct-2024
Comment from dragonpoet
Hi Debi
This is a flowing and well rhymed autobiographical poem that shows you had a generous spirit even at the young age of five.
Keep writing and stay healthy.
Have a wonderful day.
Joan
Joan
Hi Debi
This is a flowing and well rhymed autobiographical poem that shows you had a generous spirit even at the young age of five.
Keep writing and stay healthy.
Have a wonderful day.
Joan
Joan
Comment Written 20-Oct-2024
Comment from Pam Lonsdale
I like the way you've used the prompt, One Day at Five, as both a possible dinnertime and your age. We were taught from an early age to fear these people (we had "hobos"on our tracks), yet I wonder how different life would have been if we had cared for them?
A good entry for this contest, and I wish you luck.
xo
Pam
I like the way you've used the prompt, One Day at Five, as both a possible dinnertime and your age. We were taught from an early age to fear these people (we had "hobos"on our tracks), yet I wonder how different life would have been if we had cared for them?
A good entry for this contest, and I wish you luck.
xo
Pam
Comment Written 20-Oct-2024
Comment from Sanku
This is a very poignant memory of a five year old -Looking back from an adult's perspective- The homeless begging for crummbs and children in theor innocence helping them much to the exaspperation of the adults---all the best for the contest..
This is a very poignant memory of a five year old -Looking back from an adult's perspective- The homeless begging for crummbs and children in theor innocence helping them much to the exaspperation of the adults---all the best for the contest..
Comment Written 20-Oct-2024
Comment from Pearl Edwards
This sounds like a day that was well remembered, it must have stood out for little 5 years old you. Being tattled on by nosey neighbours for feeding the 'bums', sounds like an adventure. Good luck in the contest.
cheers
This sounds like a day that was well remembered, it must have stood out for little 5 years old you. Being tattled on by nosey neighbours for feeding the 'bums', sounds like an adventure. Good luck in the contest.
cheers
Comment Written 20-Oct-2024
Comment from LJbutterfly
I remember when homeless people were called bums and beggars. I enjoyed the skillful way you told the story of a day when you were five. The first line of your poem and the last line remind us of your age. Your carefully chosen words are rhythmic and rhyme well. I wish you the best in the contest.
I remember when homeless people were called bums and beggars. I enjoyed the skillful way you told the story of a day when you were five. The first line of your poem and the last line remind us of your age. Your carefully chosen words are rhythmic and rhyme well. I wish you the best in the contest.
Comment Written 20-Oct-2024
Comment from GWHARGIS
I remember the terms bum and hobo. Neither was very flattering. I don't think I could have let them starve either. But I would have locked my doors. This was a great poem. I could see the whole thing. Great imagery and interesting subject. Gretchen
I remember the terms bum and hobo. Neither was very flattering. I don't think I could have let them starve either. But I would have locked my doors. This was a great poem. I could see the whole thing. Great imagery and interesting subject. Gretchen
Comment Written 19-Oct-2024
Comment from Aussie
Glad that word was lost, sounds awful. To point a finger at the poor, starving folks. Mother and Dad must have been scared of the poor sitting on the tracks. It was a cry for help. Feed the poor you did, aged 5 was wonderful. "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."So many people today are starving whilst the rich feed their ego. Well done. K xx
reply by the author on 19-Oct-2024
Glad that word was lost, sounds awful. To point a finger at the poor, starving folks. Mother and Dad must have been scared of the poor sitting on the tracks. It was a cry for help. Feed the poor you did, aged 5 was wonderful. "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."So many people today are starving whilst the rich feed their ego. Well done. K xx
Comment Written 19-Oct-2024
reply by the author on 19-Oct-2024
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Hi Kace, back in the 1950s bums were not the same as the homeless are here. At least not the ones on the railroad tracks. They hung out there and begged off people, some robbed, killed, and kidnapped kids in some cases. Many of these bums were offered jobs on the railroad but most were too lazy to work. We were too young to see all these problems but the railroad used to chase them out of there before anyone else got in trouble. These were mostly trouble makers but some of them were kind. Once I took something up to one of them and he grabbed for me, so I ran home and I never went back. Thanks for the thoughtful comments my friend.
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May I ask if most were blacks?
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None of them were black. They were offered good paying jobs on the railroad and didn't want to work. Back in those days black people lived in other big cities tho