PAGE TITLE WRITING THROUGH HARD TIMES COURTESY OF DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY AND LIGHTHOUSE WRITERS WORKSHOP FRANCES FORD THE FAMILY FOOT ITCH My grandmother wanted wheels to turn and bells to jingle each toss of the harness, brightness of many paints and arcane carvings to curve about the wagon boards, rolling hills and road dust and river roars, and streams of strangers vague or distinct as dreams can be. She dreamed of an omened life, unveiled in the crystal or the card by candlelight, lines that loop the open hand. She couldn’t touch PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CONTRIBUTOR that unguarded fate, but she always said she wished she were a gypsy. Kee-ack, kee-ack, kee-ack, kee-ack: as if the heart counts schedule an appointment ahead of time but rather walked into the vaccine center after hearing about it from the Megaphone office. “It is a feeling of relief as it brings me one step closer to seeing my family again. It has been so long since I have seen them... It takes a toll on a person — mostly the emotional stress,” he said in the March edition of Megaphone. After the shot, Thompson is feeling “fine, grateful, and relieved.” In the United Kingdom, seventy-year-old Gordon was the first Big Issue North vendor to get the shot. Gordon received the jab in January due to his lung condition and it provided a beacon of hope for him. “I know loads of people are still waiting to have the first injection so I’m very lucky,” said Gordon. In Hamburg, Germany, residents of emergency shelters will be vaccinated in the coming weeks, but the rollout remains slow. One vendor of the Hinz&Kunzt street paper has been vaccinated, however. “Elsa is older than 80 years and those people have the highest priority to be vaccinated here in Germany,” said Benjamin Laufer, an editor at Hinz&Kunzt. It appears more and more vendors will be getting the jab in the upcoming months. In the United States, President Biden plans to have 500 million total doses administered by August. Although the European Union missed its first vaccination goal, the world is closer to normalcy than it was a year ago. “It’s really important that people get it. Better to be safe than sorry,” said vaccinated vendor Gordon. “The quicker we can get out of this lockdown, the better. I’m sick of this lockdown. I’m bored of it. I just can’t wait to get back selling the magazine again.” Big Issue North and Big Issue (UK) vendors in England and Wales return to their pitches. ■ Courtesy of INSP.ngo May 2021 DENVER VOICE 11 The Hard Times Writing Workshop is a collaboration between Denver Public Library and Lighthouse Writers Workshop. It’s open to all members of the public, especially those experiencing homelessness. Each month, the Denver VOICE publishes a selection of writing from these workshops. Virtual workshops: lighthousewriters.org/workshop/denver-public-library-hard-times More writing by these featured poets: writedenver.org far off whispers of a train on track. It travels at the speed of thought, snags at me, takes me along, and I, too, can dream. PEPPER-LEE A THANKLESS JOB So I think Im falling in love. In love with the fame, that accompanies this game. ...Just in love with the pain. A pre-meditated plan gone all awry. A well articulated genius Not at all privy to pry. Cannot tell a lie, Promises: meant to be broken. Trauma: Life’slove token, Of appreciation As well, A memory of life’s degradation. Why love me and not touch me? Hug me, and NEGATE our lovemaking, Just totally? Kiss me, And yet, ABANDON me? A stranger to these streetsssss, I’d by far much rather be, Rather I’ve harbored a tendency To share myself so intimately To a beloved stranger, All up in, and within my sheets! “Who pays you to think?” It’s what they consistently told me. Put yourself in my shoes, Catch yourself elatedly molding.
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