Don't Pass Me By Poem by Darren Huston

He walked with eyes lowered, head to the ground.

When he saw me, he spoke, and I took in his sight.

He was scruffy and raggedy in his eyes was no light.

He said, "Ma'am, I'm hungry."

He was very polite.

I said to him softly, "No money have I,

but I'll buy you some food

with these food stamps of mine."

We walked on in silence, this homeless old man,

and he said, "Give me your number

I'll pay you back when I can."

I looked in his eyes, where hopelessness lay,

and I said, "Never mind. I don't want you to pay."

As we walked down the aisles of the grocery store,

like a child he picked something, then asked for some more.

I gladly told him to fill all his needs,

because in my lifetime, I've done some bad deeds.

I'll never forget him, as he went on his way,

because he gave me something I can never repay.

He gave me a chance to give what I could,

a chance to show love to the misunderstood...

a chance to feed someone when no one else would...

a chance to be special, a chance to be good.

I'll ever be grateful to the stranger in rags,

for showing me Love in a few grocery bags,

for letting me be the one who had more,

for letting me answer his knock at my door.

You see, I'm no angel, though I've wanted to be.

I've hurt many people by just being me,

and this man, this stranger, who did not pass me by,

set free for an instant an angel to fly.