Poetry Homelessness

Poem: The Homeless Stretch

A poem about evening and night for one who is homeless.

Photo by Andranik Hakobyan via iStock

Stretch the chicken, it might keep
Stretch the peanut butter two bites more
Stretch the cool aid for one more drink
Frugal only is the way I think

Stretch the towel one clean corner still
Stretch the soap, it is just me alone
Stretch my clothing for one more wear
It is good no one is near

Stretch my smile for there still is hope
Stretch my good mood for another day
Stretch my humor a little bit
Hoping I won’t get more closed doors

Stretch the blanket over my head
Stretch the warmth through til dawn
Stretch my sleep til morning comes
And then stretch the warmth of the sun.

About the Author

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Jacob Folger

Jacob Folger spent 13 years of his life homeless, starting when he left home at 14 to escape a violent father. He joined the army at 18, and became a handyman when he completed his tour of duty. He employed and housed homeless people through his business in Herndon, Virginia, and later ran a small private home for those leaving homelessness in New York City. A struggle with burnout and alcoholism led him to another period of homelessness. After he got sober and housed in 2007, he launched Friend to the Homeless (friendtothehomeless.org), which helps people who have not experienced homelessness connect with the experiences of those who have.

Comments

One thought on “Poem: The Homeless Stretch”

  1. Why is Trump treating the homeless people and the very unfortunate poor elderly individuals in a manner in which dogs would be treated better?

    Reply

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