Recipient Or Donor? Poem by ivor or ivor.e hogg

Smile at a stranger on the train
Someone you’ll never see again.
Just acknowledge he is there.
He may be sunk in black despair.

Perhaps he will smile back at you
but you must not expect him to.
He has his life and you have yours
and they are separate of course.

You smile might change the way he sees
his world as full of miseries
He goes his way and you go yours.
You’ll never know you changed the course

of this strangers life in some way.
Perhaps the words you did not say
that made him feel your empathy
Which enabled him to see

his future much more hopefully
A simple smile is all it takes
If it is received gratefully.
To let him know that past mistakes.

Can be forgiven totally
if you repent and change your ways.
He almost imperceptibly
nods his head and looks your way.

He got your message loud and clear
Your kindly smile has changed his mood
But you will never know I fear
there is no reason why you should.

We all impinge on others lives
in ways we do not understand.
A kindly smile often survives
as long as any helping hand.

Smile at a stranger on your way
its such an easy thing to do.
To brighten up a strangers day
Today maybe I’ll smile at you

8-Jun-07