Guilt
He looked at me across the restaurant; he was waiting
His turn to use the men’s restroom at Mc Donald’s
My mind was elsewhere mulling over something;
It did not dawn on me after the fact, as to why he
Looked at me with longing
How? With nostalgia, as if something had triggered
A sad memory. Like an abandoned dog in the pound
Looks at prospective owners, with longing to be freed
And to become part of a new family
It was the look of desolation, and hunger
When it dawned on me, he was gone and crossing
The street. I felt the urge to bolt after him and offer
Him part of my lunch, and a soft drink
I felt the pull to follow him, yet I would have had to
Run in three-inch high heels, and he was long gone
He was a day laborer, obviously at this time of day,
He did not get any work today; he walked towards his
Post, wearing an air of defeat towards Home Depot
I ate my lunch with little joy; the food tasted like dirt
Condimented with a side of guilt, and self directed anger
I had to let it go; I could not act now
He would have been more embarrassed had I
Handed him a food bag, in front of the others’
The food was horrible, like cereal swimming in
Rotten milk - It was the taste of guilt
As I left the establishment, I put on my sunglasses
To shield my eyes from the bright sunlight, and to
Shield the tears clouding my eyesight
I felt so terribly, terribly saddened
For him and for humanity
Yesterday a friend had mentioned that while
Looking for work, he witnessed a guy with a suit
And a BA degree forewarn, that if he did not
Find employment soon - he would kill himself...
Yet before, he'd also kill whomever came across his way
How can this happen in the United States of America?
Where unscrupulous greed pays handsomely well
One man prays to eat his daily bread; one man knows
He will rot in hell; and one man lives in voluntary hell
When he cannot release his stronghold on material...things
.
