A Man

Walking a city sidewalk,
early October;
drags left leg slightly;

head down, his hands folded behind his back;
gray pants just a smidge too large for him;
a brown T-shirt with unknown writing on it;

walking on a warm day, almost a hot day,
it could be one last warm day for a while;
walking past a gas station, ignoring cars;

walking slowly as if in meditation
though he more likely is
in pain or distress or perhaps

is just tired, tired of all of this —
and I have been that man and could be
him again someday.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
onward,
T