coffee, ​please

 

clay mugs

cold shrugs

many miles

no friendly smiles

muddy stairs

nobody cares

for the man with no six-pack

or a shirt on his bruised back

just colorless tears tricking down his white cheeks

people rush from the sky train onto the streets

our eyes meet

hearts beat

i give a cup of coffee

a plain croissant with no toffee

he bites his snack and his trembling lips

takes a few sips

as i walk away

done with the kind deed for the day

he sits on the cold concrete floor with young aching bones 

remembering the years when he laughed and played eating blue ice cones

i sip my assam tea and eat my toast as sunday morning rolls in

i hope he was warm last night and gets to sleep in

and when he wakes up soon

brunch will be served for him at noon

multigrain bagel with avocado and whipped cream cheese

a cup of hot coffee and a gentle afternoon breeze

for none of us is without honour

everyone deserves to have someone in their corner