Thin and mild mannered
tattoo novice ink
inarticulate
drawings of ***** boy *****
gnarly scabs / a missing tooth
walking dead in flip flops

pain clawing his expression
all loss in its translation and

Need is loud - a vagrant shout
but I have no money to give...

Young man, in his wife beater tank,
smears of dirt
his wastrel work
crawling through the black
though this morning's blinding
sobriety
forces its friendship on you
                 find a way back...

Young man, here's some breakfast
warm and steady
in the war-time melee of your stomach
empty as the shame
that must be lingering
in your pulse,

here's some shoes and water too
keep cool in this hateful heat
keep on toward home
toward mother's arms
if that's all the choice you got

survive or not.

Here's a moment kindly passing
not a dollar or a hit,
I hope you make it to the next one
and maybe another kindness will be won

in the ripples of this pond
where loss is the stone
you are sinking

below the surface deeply hidden
it's only a matter of realizing,
we are born to swim in it
we're made of creation, creating our own

when you resurface air —be strong and kindly
wash away  dark nights lone chiding

Young man, I see this morning, crying
Once awake to tithe the ties of binding
Learning
You/ are the only one you’re fighting

The human pride kind of life and time
We appear to be casualties
Keeping in mind
when we mindlessly gorge on wish
for something equal
gold and fine…
bright faculties love divine
You cool?
I wish
Young man, "god bless" he says
goodbye
there's nothing
worth it more than Lovin’

The searching for meaning
Who are you
to find/
  be found
in someone else’s loving eyes...?

(No one around . Now.)
Shed some light...