Pennies and Dimes

[dukealien]

"Pennies and Dimes"

Pennies and dimes,
all of them mine.
You call me a bigot,
but really its fine.

"Look at the homeless, 
twisted and boneless.
Just give me a dime,
Jesus will notice."

He looks me in the eye,
with his hands on the pipe,
he says a few swears,
I dont care and I hike.

Urine and crime
all to get high.
They ask for my cash,
they say Ill get by.

I say I dont care
because Im not unaware
thats its cold here at night,
I frankly dont care.

Pennies and dimes,
I need all of mine.
You can call me a bigot,
really, its fine.

Very satisfying poem (about refusing to be guilt-tripped and not needing a reason).   I can well remember being accosted by a large Indian who resembled an (even more) gone-to-seed Russel Means on a South Dakota back street in the 70s.  He asked if I had a quarter.  Knowing the contents of my pockets well, I brightly answered that I was sorry, I didn't, and wished him a nice day.  Then I walked on by.  The guy was apparently too wasted to assemble a comeback about dimes or dollars.  Also unaccustomed to civility and flummoxed about how to deal with it.

Oh, "bigot" - read "Native American" for "Indian" up above, there.  But aren't we all, those of us who are?