1. Broken Bridge  
                           
Yesterday, I plodded Demoralization Avenue.
Dodged arrows of pity, cast by a society of conformance.
What food I grasped could not feed my starving mind.
Confusion clouded my days, and lonely nights thrust me
into sleepless fright.  Under the bridge, I found fruitless
despair and floundered in a river of relentless anguish.
Tomorrow—there was no tomorrow, only a blurred
silhouette of insanity calling out.
Justice was indeed blind, did not understand my dilemma. 
They stole my child of love and stripped my care to the naked core.
The only passage out was to; ride the painted horse,  gather poppies,
or fall into the crack that engulfed my sanity.
I knew the strangers of the street, like me they too wandered aimlessly.
Trust was not a friend and all directions led to a bleak beginning.

2. Bridge of Hope

Today, spilt rays of sunlight glean my eyes open. They beckon me
to climb upon a bridge.  Gates open.  I hear laughter, feel freshness
swell inside.  Strangers have names; they call to me with friendly gestures.
My hand is warmly touched.  Pleasant voices whisper: Come nourish yourself,
shed all worries, and sleep with peace of mind. The Bridge, like a nourished  
garden, its sun shines upon many pathways.  A sense of security puts trust
at ease.  Moreover, I begin to taste the sweet fruit of purpose.
My wits become clearer; now I am able to count the steps needed to reach
the surface of normality.

The Bridge stokes my desire      

— I will go home soon!