My Eyes Feel They Need to Cry

Stories from the Formerly Homeless

Martha Aladjem Bloomfield

• Publisher: Michigan State University Press
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN:
  9781611860917
• eBook ISBN:
  9781628951431
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Social Science Biographies
• Index: Social Sciences

As intimate as they are inspiring, these stories of transformation, drawn from the oral histories of formerly homeless adults, testify to the determination of the human spirit and the healing power of sharing one's journey. This gripping collection gives voice to the traditionally voiceless, inviting men and women from a variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds to share their experiences of what it was like to live on the streets, in cars, under bridges, and of how they discovered the inner motivation to change the course of their lives in a positive direction. An important contribution to understanding how destructive patterns can be broken, this book examines some key questions: How do those who have suffered from homelessness and the hardships that accompany it find the inspiration and courage to break the seemingly endless cycle, transform their lives, and become self-sufficient? What emotional price do they pay? When do they realize that enough is enough? How do they learn to trust new people when so many have disappointed them? Homeless people can and do find a way off the streets, as these men and women reveal through their stories, paintings, and poetry.

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Foreword
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Chapter One. A Canvas of Homelessness
• Chapter Two. Their Stories through Words
• Chapter Three. A Change in Direction
• Chapter Four. Their Stories through Paintings and Poems
• Chapter Five. Resilience from Memory, Hopes, and Dreams
• References