A LOSS

A man walks looking down,
for what?
A half finished cigarette
fallen coins?

He wears a designer T-shirt
A thrift shop find perhaps?
He looks up, He looks like dad!
Looking closer,
He is better looking

I see him one day in front of a store
Can I buy you cigarettes I ask
Surprised to hear my voice
He looks up and says yes
Further conversation is not coherent
He is not a bum
He is a sick man

We see him often, walking,
looking down
His shirt with B.U.M.
across his chest
We look for him when we go out
And hope he is okay

Going into the liquor store
Dad bumps into him - scary....
The face of a man who could be his twin
Could that have been him If life had been different?

One day, the man is no longer there
We watch, we look for him
We knew him and he is gone
We miss this man we came to know.

Marion Green

August 30