(If I "want to be" a writer, does that make me a "wannabe?")

so the other day I saw a bum walking on the side of the road. It was early on in the day, maybe a few minutes before 7 a.m. It was chilly and he looked gruff, as most homeless people do. This one second sparked a thought in my mind. Life can sometimes be like a match in that way, leading to something bigger, like fire. I wondered if maybe he could be on his way to clean himself up, maybe try to find a job. I guess this is my way of wishing him good luck. Maybe this is a conversation he had later that day. Let's call it a rhyming, short story, thing.



Gruff demeanor

He's trading in his gruff demeanor
for a look a little cleaner.
'been meaning to do that,
time to throw out that old hat.
I've had the same jacket since '82.
My left shoe's bigger than my right shoe.

"Silly old man, time's past you by".

Not true Sir., My wings are spread, I'm ready to fly.
Sure, I've roamed the streets,
But I gotta make ends meet.
I'll be spit at no more,
I need a purpose, something to strive for.

"I'm tired of all these bums thinking they can go somewhere."

I beg your pardon Sir., but I'll make it there!
Just teach me to fish,
I don't need granted a wish.
Something to magically appear isn't my desire.
I wanna work, live, feel. Do you think they'll hire?
I'm on the brink of extinction,
you gotta understand my motivation.
We're talkin' about my survival here,
my species isn't anything to fear.
Give me a chance to achieve!

"Sir., would you please leave?
There's nothing more I can do for you,
the right choices you've made were few".

Our brave protagonist exits stage left.
He feels crushed, betrayed, bereft.
His struggle is like an up-hill marathon,
it's painful, constant, & seemingly always on.

He's at yet another intersection of the crossroads of life,
falling over the precipice contains nothing but strife.
Let's face it, he was born to suffer.
There's no way out, no way back.
Will our Hero survive this attack?


Hooray! Don't worry, maybe things worked out for him, maybe he's happy with his life. Time to go make "someone else" money.