Sunday at the Leper Church.

The sun it thawed my old cold bones,
As I walked on the grassy ridge,
The church it lay in the hollow; green, Hidden beside Barnwell Bridge.

I had lived in Cambridge many years,
And often trod this way,
But my eyes were blinded by my tears,
For the Church I saw today.

The building small and the aura great,
I felt it; as I stepped through the gate,
The homeless crowded on the steps,
A girl I noticed; that she had wept.

I saw a face; it was one I loved,
Among so many faces,
Singing in the Leper Church,
There were no airs and graces.

We took a seat and settled in,
beside the sons and daughters,
The fathers, sisters, aunts and Mums,
People from all; quarters.

They were all once; among their families, Babies born and loved by Mothers,
They lost their way and became displaced,
Their friends were now, their homeless brothers.

As candles flickered in each wall sconce,
They looked; not sad, complained not once,
My bones had warmed, my feet, they tap.

We sang along and hands did clap,
Lets not ignore those: who have no choices,
Nor cast out those; of great misfortune,
We joined the throng with Street Voices,
On a January; Sunday afternoon.

I realised that (Leper spelt backwards is repel)

By Linda Shepherd 28th January 2008

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Rattle, rattle, rattle,
Why is it such a battle,
Getting a bit of change Is such hard work
Why won’t they give us any for a change?
Rattle, rattle, rattle,
Their pockets always rattle,
They make it such a battle,
They say they have no change,
Why can’t they tell the truth for a change?

Ella Martin.

Read / Close

Someone’s got me in a spin,
He’s really great not your average sonny Jim Sometimes,
I want to throw my poems in the bin,
Coz they’re nowhere near as good
as the ones’ by him.

Ella Martin

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It’s full of life you see,
It’s always so busy,
It can be the place to be,
But only if you know somebody,
Funny thing is however, if you know nobody,
Or if you know everybody,
Then it can be the worst place to be,
Coz 222 can be quiet and lonely
Or loud and freedom free,
You see if you know nobody It can be quite lonely, But if you know everybody,
You’ll find them loud and proud,
And you’ll find yourself freedom free,
Soit’s best to be in the middle you see,
So make sure you know somebody,
But you don’t know everybody,
Coz then you will think 222 is great you see!!

Ella Martin.

Read / Close

I’m told that “love” is the greatest emotion,
But I believe this is not strictly true,
For understandably ‘tis FEAR that reigns,
But this fear we should never rue,

For fear of us “just”crossing the road,
To fear of anything new,
Fear of the unknown, fear of the dark, of death, This is perfectly natural, true,

So, when someone comes, walks in our midst, Whose colour is different, or has a slight twist, With lesions potentially cotagious (a myth),
Be not surprised of societies “fist”,

From the womb to the grave,
All are constantly attacked,
Bacteria we fight, but, like us they wish to survive, So they constantly fight back,

THE disease is the attitude with which we approach,
Any threatening problem that causes that fear, Anything with which our ignorance approach,
Any threat to survival which comes anywhere  near.

Glyn Putwain

Read / Close

I am put away,
I am discounted,
I’m unwanted, I don’t fit,
I have no “house” of my own,
Outside in the city I sit homeless,

Rejected, as I pay no tax, a social leper I,
A great assumption made,
That I am of no value,
(Though the freedom I’ve earnt all crave),

As they sit inside their walls,
With mortgages all bound,
With commitments, repairs,
They stir, in dread of,
The freedom I have found.

Jealous now, they persicute,
All those not fitting “their way”,
Of those who have true freedom,
Can come and go, while they have to stay,

I am outside, they are inside.

Glyn Putwain

Read / Close

TRAVELERS ME AND FRIENDS OF MINE
½ THE COUNTRY WE’VE DONE,
AN THAT’S NOT A BOAST IT LIKE CHEESE ON TOAST EASY.

EAST TO WEST EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST,
GOOD FOLKS, BAD FOLKS NIGHT/DAY SHELTERS CARERS SHARERS IT ALL
THEY R ALL AROUND
YOU’D BE ASTOUNDED

USE YOUR HEAD

DON’T STARE IT CAN OFFEND,
FOLKS MISCOMPREHEND
AND SOME MAY TRY AND DEFEND
THEMSELVES IS ALL.

MOST FRIENDS HALF A PET,
INVISIBLE WALL TO PROTECT
AND DETECT OLD BILL
WHO TRY TO SNEAK A PEAK
IS ALL THEY GET THOUGH
BEFORE WE GOT UP AND GO TO THE NEXT TOWN

RAIN WIND SNOW OR SUN NOMADIC I IS! FESTIVALS R JUST AROUND THE CORNER
YES THEY IS LIKE A BOTTLE OF POP SHAKE
AND ALL OVER THE PLACE
WE SHALL FIZZ FIZZ FIZZ LOTS OF GIRLS
TO GET YOUR HEAD IN A TWIRL
BUT THAT’S ANOTHER STORY I’LL TELL

Neil Smith (smithy)

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