beauty from ashes

i truly thought that this blog would be about social work. turns out i like talking about myself a lot more. i wrote a 'piece' to make it up to you. its called

why i chose you social work

i see her face
i recognize myself in her
but i disclose only when necessary
so i play on her strengths

strengths the theory not the muscle
for she needs someone to listen
not a man to depend upon
not another baby at 16 years old

old she became as she entered the stairway of the school
the aching face with makeup full and bright
but with the questions of open and close ended
i see the real her, even if it takes years

years she spent feeding her grandfather
left overs
because her mother was at work
and her father was not around

around the time she failed math
but she was only in 5th grade
so why keep trying
5th grade is so young

young enough to see her mom get abused
by a man she called by his first name
not a man of example but a prisoner
needing to be released

released he was
at 58 years old
for selling cocaine
because a neighbor said it would make him feel good

good enough for who, he thought
good enough for myself
good enough for the moment
for the night

night falls and she has no electricity
because the county wouldnt accept her
she had already been helped one time before
that's when she got food stamps too

too kind when the ministry gave out cans
and school supplies
but she used them for her
not her son or daughter

daughter she once was of a mother
who died in a fire
because the apartment building
was not up to code

code of ethics we must follow
to counsel a woman such as her
with a life of complexity, pain, and fear
where to begin? what to work on first?

first, i'm here to listen
listen to you begin to unwind the last 15 years of life
life that seems to not go your way
and to bring forth beauty from ashes and maybe some new choices