What happened to those whom society shuns,
  victims of drug abuse, violence or guns?
Living hard on the streets, fed by the nuns,
  who are these people, the forgotten ones?

Whether work of the mafia or evil overlord,
  they’ve no hope for the future, are perpetually bored.
Punished by the elements, physical hardship and more,
  always searching for a new bed, another score.

Getting ousted by the cops starts another day;
  the fittest survive, weak ones perish away.
Regardless if on street by punishment or choice,
  the homeless speak with an unheard voice.

Best intentions have a way of going quite sour,
  bureaucracies fight and bicker over power.
Another teen abused, forced to cower
  for a piece of bread and chance for a shower.

Local shelters help by caring for the needy,
  keeping some out of hoods deemed “seedy”.
Helping a mission can warm any person’s heart,
  it only requires a decision and the moment to start.

Feel free to dream of a world all tidy and nice
  absent the downtrodden, absent the vice.
The capacity to remedy must be applied;
  hope is a universal right, not to be denied.