Homeward Bound

Look down your nose do you?
Stifling a stench,
Go on then- walk past, have a rest
on a bench!
Light up that ciggie you’ve got from your bag,
not giving a thought to this  battered old hag.
Well maybe a thought, but it’s fleeting
I’ll bet..
You’ve no need to think of me ever-
And yet…?
I see from your eyes that you can’t meet my gaze,
You know from my clothes that I’ve seen
better days.
My shoes are worn out and with paper
inside.
My nails black with grime, I no longer have
pride.
But looking at you with your eyes so downcast,
a flicker of something ignites from my past..
The shape of your face, the tilt of your chin,
reminds me of someone, where do I begin?
I’ve been on the streets now for such a long time
I’m wizened and old  and well past my prime.
My family all  lost and now gone who knows where,
there’s nobody here  to love me or  care..
I look at you sitting there- see your hands shake.
Put out your cigarette and then stand up and take,
a step nearer to me, you slowly draw near
and as you get closer I suddenly hear
You saying.. ‘I hope you don’t mind,  but I pass by each day
and there’s something important I needed to say.
I’ve searched high and low and I think that I can
say with all certainty you are my Gran!
You last saw me when I was  7 years old,
‘cause grandad would beat you, that’s what I was told.
My mum missed you so much but now grandads dead,
she told me to find you , this is what she said,
‘Go find my mother she been gone too long
and bring her back home ‘cause that’s  where she belongs’
I looked in her eyes that looked so like my  own
and knew that from now I would not be alone.
I chose to leave, they were never to blame,
but know going back will  just not be the same..
I’ve lived on the street for so long  I’m not sure
that I can  be happy at home any more...
But I will still try as I so want to  know,
The family I  loved but left  so long ago.