this piece for you – 
the abandoned one.
solitary confinement, 
it seems, 
in a world of (not always) smiling faces.


for the you that wishes to be he, 
or she, 
or really any of the they. 
for just one minute of any given day,
to understand feel – 
as much as the absence of touch.


this piece for you – 
owner of less than (it seems) enough.
shepherd without cause –
gatekeeper to an empty lot.


how often,
in life, 
do we pass each other on the street –
share paths –
travel in the same direction –
yet unaware the other exists?


today i saw a homeless man,
and after the initial wave of sadness left,
i found myself wondering if just maybe it was his choice?
while hard to imagine –
life devoid of the accoutrements we deem mandatory for contentment, 
maybe it was his way of avoiding the pain of indifference.


just maybe he chose to be lost –
less painful,
than merely being –
forgotten…