We are children and teenagers who have no one. Who have no shelter. Nothing but the streets and the fear and the apathy of the well-fed and sheltered. Nothing but hunger and poverty and pasts we would rather forget.

But despite all that we have each other. We always make sure to have each other. Because in this world full of apathy and hate, kindness grows only when you plant it.

And I will do anything to protect my family. Anything.

——— This work is in the public domain and anyone can do whatever they want with it.

Currently I am taking a creative writing class. Our assignment is to write about a problem, topic, or injustice in the world that we feel strongly about. I chose to write a rap about homelessness.

I am trying to bring attention to how a lot of people don't pay any attention to the homeless. They just walk past them. This bothers me because we are all humans and we should be helping each other, no matter their situation.

Years after her older sister's death, Alexis is granted a swimming scholarship to the University of Texas in Austin. Her first day in a new city is fine until she is attacked and nearly raped by a drunken homeless man. She is saved by a boy about her age, who she then spends the next few days following around, eventually falling for the homeless boy named Jack. But, Jack has his own battles to deal with, including homelessness, a meth-addicted mother, and a nasty heroin addiction. Alexis figures out a way to help him, but she has no idea what it really means to be a drug addict.