My Eyes Feel They Need to Cry
Stories from the Formerly Homeless
Martha Aladjem Bloomfield
Michigan State University Press, 2013

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 about how 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.

“Eventually, I decided to move back to Michigan, but had no resources to try to begin my life anew on my own. When I got off the bus from Idaho, I didn’t know where I was going to go. I went and slept in a field there for awhile, but it was March and it was real cold, and so I stayed out there for maybe three or four days….I had to get up in the morning because it would be quite brisk and walk so I could get the warmth back in my legs and my feet, but then somebody told me, “You need to go to the mission ‘cause you’re going to freeze.’
— David, an artist, paints the portrait of himself playing the guitar, which ultimately appeared on the cover of the book