To a Homeless Man - A Poem

I almost didn't post this because I felt so terrible about it. But I decided maybe someone would benefit from reading it. You know, in my last post I wrote a poem about compassion. Well, yesterday I found myself in a situation where I could have demonstrated compassion towards an individual........and I didn't. And now I feel terrible. The following poem is about that situation and is a type of sonnet with an a-b-c, a-b-c, d-d, a-e, a-e, a-e rhyme scheme.

To a Homeless Man 

I saw you yesterday at the stoplight. 

Your sign read 'Traveling and need supplies."

Your friend was sitting, his head bent down low,

I worried how you'd make it through the night. 

Your clothes were ragged, despair filled your eyes.

I wondered where you'd been and where you'd go.

What was your story? Why was there no home?

Why were you here now and why on the roam?

Your eyes locked with mine, my stomach curled tight.

Why did I always see men like you here?

Could you be a test for me to choose right?

Why then, suddenly, the shyness and fear?

Oh, how I regret with all of my might,

I looked away when heaven had drawn near. 

If you see someone in need of help today, don't give in to fear or excuses like I did. Please, help them out.