Society's Misfits Poem by Sidi Mahtrow

There he stands, waiting
Patience is the only thing he understands
For a reward will surely come his way
As the panhandler greets the day.

He's been here many times before
Sometimes before break of day
While others in their cribs snore
But the pangs of hunger motivated him to flight
Away from the safety of the night.

And now he stands, nervous
Shifting his weight from one foot to the other,
Standing on one leg in a practiced move
To attract attention.
He's a veteran of past encounters.

A pair of early risers see him standing there
But go about their mission
Ignoring his stare
Even when he approaches
They give him no attention.

A beggar he is for sure,
Like others that they must endure
For if they show the slightest sympathy
There will be others,
Demanding in carefully
Rehearsed cacophony.

Avoiding eye contact is essential
For once made, it's providential
That you have entered into his game
And nothing evermore will be the same.

Words are meaningless as a media of exchange
For they speak a language, not the same.
This one's of a different order
And his vocabulary they can't decipher.

Yet, a bit of fried chicken from your bucket
Seems to be his plea.
But they ignore him
As each enjoys his lunch,
Watching his carefully rehearsed pranks.

Then one offers a tidbit to the bum.
It's more than he's had this morn
And into his empty stomach,
It'll easily fit.

The other teases with a chicken leg.
He's learned from times past
How to reward those that beg
It's necessary to keep the tramp away
Otherwise he'll surely steal
What the bucket conceals.

So with a toss
The leg goes airborne
Toward the vagrant
Who's pleading;
More, more.

Catching it in midair,
He wolfs it down without a care
And then begs for even more.
More from your bucket – there.

'Scat. Shoo.' the men exclaim
And raise their fists to make it plain
They will tolerate no more
Of this moocher's antics.
They must get back to their chores.

Knowing that he will be denied
The beggar turns his back on them.
But in a final threatening move
Stretches himself to his full height.
Will he walk away?

Then, with a sudden leap,

The great blue heron flies away.

****
On watching two fishermen eating their lunch on the beach. Longboat Key, Florida.