The Same

The Same

Clark Steven Lupton

January 17, 2005





In the same hospital the two babies were born

On the same day in December, which made them Capricorn

Bob was a cute baby and Belle was even more

Their parents lived on the same street; in fact they lived next door



They went to the same school and were always together in the same class

(Belle was always the first to know when Bob passed gas : )

When one was absent the other one would feel amiss

They had their first experience of sharing their first kiss



They were always in the other one’s house so together they could play

And they were always completing what the other started to say

They liked the same books and liked the same TV shows

And got the same grades because they knew what the other knows



They both were the valedictorians on their graduation

They both said, “Greetings,” for their salutation

They were their high school’s Prom King and Queen

And they were at their happiest that they’ve ever been



But then for college Bob moved away from Belle

Life away from each other became a living hell

Everyone was different and no one was the same

Bob felt alone and lost his direction and aim



He didn’t like the other girls and he missed Belle’s kisses and hugs

To drown out his sorrows he turned to drinking and drugs

He became unkempt and grew terribly thin

From abusing alcohol, cocaine and heroin



He had insomnia and was sleeping late nights

He couldn’t keep friends and got into fights

His eyes grew bloodshot and he often wore shades

And was kicked out of college for failing grades



He was on a hard mountain to climb

And so moved to the big city to start a life of crime

But even then his luck was bad

After a year he pondered the life that he had



He used to have a good life he had it all

Then he moved away, which began the fall

He missed Belle, his only best friend

And without her he was ready to make it all end



Bob was feeling lost and destitute

And would end it all but first visit a prostitute

He knocked on a reputable call girl’s door

But when it opened he forgot what he came there for



“Belle! What are you doing here?”

“Oh Bob! I’ve been here a year!”

“Oh my God, so have I

Has there been another guy?”



She was quiet so he said, “Well?” and then he shook her

“Bob, I’m here because I’m a hooker

There have been guys; in fact there have been lots

But it’s always been you in front of my thoughts,



“Remember when we were the valedictorians of the high school grads?

Well now I have 3 kids and they have different dads

I flunked out of college after you left

And I had no means of support except prostitution and theft,



“The way my life turned out got me thinking

And to cope with the pain I got addicted to drugs and drinking.”

Then they looked at each other and let out an acclaim,

“Look at us now, we’re still the same! :o)”

Author's Notes/Comments: 

This is my favorite inspired poem. I was walking by Makati Medical Center and I looked at the windows on the upper floors and thought, "At this moment there are babies being born on this same day in the same hospital, what if they were neighbors too, what would their lives be like?" And I wrote the premise down and organized the ideas more during free time in the day and by night time I wrote it all out during some TV Beauty Contest. Most people think of hospitals as shelter for the sick and suffering and stool samples, who would've thought it would inspire a poem? :o)

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