Perceptions

She was a thieving ho,
holding back money
and making moves on her own.
A lesson had to be taught - 
Pimp hands must be quick and strong.

She was a gritty, slow-day news story.
An East-side ghetto prostitute
found poking from a dumpster.
Hands and head lopped off 
on a slow Thursday afternoon.
Another whacked out junkie 
or good-girl-gone-bad.
An 11 PM news canidate
with dug-up mug shots
and a 10 second stentorian voice-over

She was beloved.
For, every morning
- without fail -
she would link hands with
her 6-year old boy
and walk him to the bus stop.
Hugs and kisses before school.

--John Wesley Lampe

Copyright (C) 2004 John Wesley Lampe