To the man selling newspapers in the street,

I’ve noticed in Weslaco,

everything is close together,

but nothing seems closer than

the memory stained article you sell;

and dreams never looked so scarce

in a human.

Did you plan to tap on car windows

with your distressed labored hands?

Did they tell you homeless

and newspaper would be synonymous?

That after the valley no longer

had jobs like handouts of

promised life,

you’d be anonymously grasping

for life in the exchange of frail paper.

No one knows who you are,

your story masked behind a broken soul

of torturous crime

that people read as you tap on their windows,

while others shoo you away.

You should tell them if they don’t buy

your paper your family will starve

and you aren’t a beggar just a man

whose dream was too far away

from the Rio Grande Valley to touch like stars.

You should tell them your dream didn’t die,

it just got preserved,

and home is homeless without the help of a neighbor.

Ask them if Jesus sells bibles

because this paper is your bible

and the helpless received miracles in his presence.

ya know,

you and I,

we’re similar.

I edit newspapers like the ones you live off of,

only I’m here to tell your story not sell it,

and you’re here to sell stories,

still hoping for somone to ask you who you are.

 

To the man selling newspapers in the street,

I’ve noticed in Weslaco,

everything is close together,

but nothing seems closer than

the memory stained article you sell;

and dreams never looked so scarce

in a human.

Did you plan to tap on car windows

with your distressed labored hands?

Did they tell you homeless

and newspaper would be synonymous?

That after the valley no longer

had jobs like handouts of

promised life,

you’d be anonymously grasping

for life in the exchange of frail paper.

No one knows who you are,

your story masked behind a broken soul

of torturous crime

that people read as you tap on their windows,

while others shoo you away.

You should tell them if they don’t buy

your paper your family will starve

and you aren’t a beggar just a man

whose dream was too far away

from the Rio Grande Valley to touch like stars.

You should tell them your dream didn’t die,

it just got preserved,

and home is homeless without the help of a neighbor.

Ask them if Jesus sells bibles

because this paper is your bible

and the helpless received miracles in his presence.

ya know,

you and I,

we’re similar.

I edit newspapers like the ones you live off of,

only I’m here to tell your story not sell it,

and you’re here to sell stories,

still hoping for somone to ask you who you are.