His Face Lit Up ….[ A True Story; Bri's Little Bit Of ‘charity'; Needy? ] Poem by Bri Edwards

From behind, I saw him steal food and drink.
His face was light brown; mine's more pink.
He crossed store's lot to a nearby yard.
‘I thought to myself: "Is his life so hard …
that he needs to steal to just survive? "
I guess I'd do the same to stay alive!

I told a grocery clerk what I'd seen;
it's my "honest streak".I did NOT feel mean.
The clerk said: "If I'd seen him ……...",
but she hadn't.He was tall and thin,
And when I left the store, there he sat,
leaning against the store.Think of that!

He did not ask for money, as ‘some' do.
I wondered if, with stealing, he was through …..
for a while.
I walked half a block back to my parked car.
The "distance" between him and me was not far,
but I'm sure, lifestyle-wise, the gap was great.
How many others are often hungry, with empty plate?

Perhaps he was ‘just a thief', liked the thrill?
Perhaps he was addicted to booze or a pill?
Whatever was his situation I'd never know,
but a couple of dollars from me to him could show …
that at least someone cared a bit.I went back.
He was coming out again from the store ………………

[Unfinished as of now, the poem could be finished …
IF anyone asked me to do it.I was writing it in the car,
and my wife came out from her appointment, so I stopped.]

(March ….22 ….2018)

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[[ ok, i believe two PH members 'requested that i' ['TOLD
ME TO'] finish the poem. since i said i would if someone asked,
AND since some interest has been shown, i SHALL finish it here
and now, once and for all, till death do us part, AMEN!

[[....even though i kind of finished it in my Poet's Notes...
i think...]]

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(poem ending) :

I had thought to see if he was in the store AGAIN & he WAS,
or just HAD been. I'd been thinking of what to say...BECAUSE
I did not know his frame of mind, his emotional 'bearing'.
Would he be 'meek and mild', …OR 'punching and swearing'?

[I'd been assaulted/punched a couple of years ago by a stranger,
and so I was NOW a LOT more cautious, & conscious of danger.]

Both now away from the store entrance, I stepped up with money ready.
I held it out and said: "I think you could use this".He looked at me, steady.
He took the two dollars.Then his face (looking at me)LIT UP like a CANDLE!
He said "Thank you", and his seeming gratitude was 'mild'.It I COULD handle!


I turned and walked away, across the store's parking lot, ……very satisfied.


(March ….27th …..2018)