Homeless

I was homeless in Austin
For months.
I was ill
But didn’t know it.
I just wanted to leave my life
And I did.
I was shooting pool at The Ritz
Every evening
For months.
I came to know Jack
During that time.
He found a room for me
In a Co-op off Congress.
We made money playing pool
And selling weed.
We would climb to the roof of our building
Every night
And count the stars.
We would end up with different numbers
And argue
With smiles on our faces.
I met a girl named Simone
One night at The Ritz.
She was better at pool than me,
But let me win.
She was homeless too,
Having come to Austin
From a small town in Georgia.
She had a beautiful voice
And an old guitar.
She moved in with me
And we were happy.
She would carry her guitar
To the roof and play and sing
While Jack and I counted stars.
We went to a free concert
At Zilker Park one night
And Simone dropped her guitar
As we crossed Lamar.
She stopped to pick it up
And was struck by an SUV.
She died in my arms
And i cried.
I was homeless in Austin
For months.
And they were the happiest
And saddest months
Of my life.