National Adult Literacy Database

September 2, 1996

This week, the story comes from Frontier College, and was written by a learner named "A.P", from the program "Beat the Street", in the Metropolitan Toronto area.

Out on the Street

by A.P.

It's a very scary scene to be in.
You never know where you are going to sleep.
It might be in a doorway or in a park.
Just get high to keep awake.
That you don't get picked up by police.
You go to a hostel for two weeks.
After the two weeks are over.
Then you are back on the street again.
There you stay with a friend for a while.
There are times you don't know if you're going
to be raped or killed.
That you look to get a place to sleep and get something to eat.
There were times you just want to die.
Times you would like to take
an overdose of pills to get off the street.
Then you go to welfare for help.
If you can find a place to live.

[This story is taken from Heart Beats (p.5) - writings by the people of "Beat the Street", a program of Frontier College]