October 2022 3rd Street Beat

A few things off my chest

My roommate is still annoying with his snoring. He still gets louder and louder. He scares me out of my sleep at night. If I was working and had a job, I would be throwing a pillow at him.But I know that will cause a problem and we will fight. I don’t want to hurt him and I don’t want him to hurt me. So I am trying to keep the peace. I told the shift supervisor that works at the hotel shelter that he goes or I go. He told me that we can both go! I don’t want to go because that will be two and a half years a waste of time, I won’t get my place - a room, studio, or one-bedroom. If they kick me out for fighting they might send me to a bad shelter. The two worst shelters in New York City are Ward’s Island and Bedford & Atlantic in Brooklyn. I have been in both of them two or three times already. Instead of dealing with one guy in my room I would be dealing with 30 to 50 guys in a dor. It would be like a jail or prison. I don’t want to deal with that again. So I am 61 years old. It is time to get my life together here. A job and a place to stay.

Thank you,

Darryl Armour

Art by Danussa

My values come from a life-changing experience that guided me back to the right direction: a direction in which I had never come to believe in at one point. But, as I continued to chip away at the old things that held me down for so long, it was then; and there I found my true values in this life….and that value was the value that I found in myself.

-Raymond Bird, III

FromNothing byEddieCollymore

From nothing No one Unbirthable The difficult Pels me Again Possible end of the void And forces me to begin

TheShinyDarkness

ByMosesFlores

I am Not the Dark Light

Nor Am I a Brightness that Shines

Just simply A spark of fire Within

In a realms that Can’t be reached

With nothingness Only in spirit

Hard Work by Moses Flores

Anything that is worth anything will always be worth the hard work. In fact, anything that comes too EZ can become a detriment. Because you will never truly have gratitude or appreciate the accomplishment.

As opposed to - the harder you work for it the more gratitude you have for your accomplishments. When one is working out, the reps that you struggle with are the ones that actually break muscle and help you grow. So, in other words, the hard work and struggle will always make you grow. If it doesn’t hurt it doesn’t work. No pain no gain, no sacrifice no glory.

Acceptance by Moses Flores.

Acceptance is one of my important “triple As.” The triple-As being acceptance, adjustments, and accountability. I try to use the triple-A concept with almost every dilemma I have in life. This concept did not come easy - because it was very hard for me to accept certain things, even more difficult to have the ability to be accountable for my actions. Most times it is impossible to see yourself without a mirror, making the man in the mirror a very hard person to figure out. Not having these tools/weapons to defend yourself makes it very difficult to adjust when youre doing the wrong thing or have the wrong attitude. Accepting certain things that I cannot change has helped adjust to many things. Accepting the man in the mirror has helped me be more accountable for my actions and consequences behind them. This is why the serenity prayer has been incorporated in many self-help organizations. You do not have to be religious to agree. This prayer which goes as follows: God grant me the ability to expect the things that I cannot change, the courage to change things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

I accept this prayer as being one of my most vital mantras.

I am me like a tree

I grow around beautiful surroundings

In an ugly place

But I give life even when my leaves fall Strong like an oak and fine like a pine I give thanks for sunrise and moonlight, and I am grateful for Christmas lights

Julius Simms

Art by Tatyana Ivanova

Beautyofthedark

ByKennardSingleton

Thenight Iwonderwhy Thenightisas Badasdarkness Butuntilyou Haveseenyourshadow Fromthefullmoon Light… Thatisallsobright

The Place No One Understands

The cemetery is a place where the dead rest. It seems so gloomy and full of despair, what a mess. But when I began to look and take myself for a test…I see the beauty and essence of the moment - how you would squirm for a visual. But as the dark falls on the tombstone, what magnificent shapes come to life. Even the owl plays a part of this heavenly symphony. To me, this is as sweet as a fresh born fig….and such peace and silence…all so unique. I admire the dates on the headstones. My mind gets so excited for the rubbings I could create. But to me, heaven is a small part of this place. How the moss hangs all around like a beautiful woman wearing a shawl. How ravishing like a mannequin in a mall…

By Kennard Singleton