Soliloquy

Stuttering through the street, with your retinue in tow
Hunched over, face down, almost striding,
Trying to match the pace this relentless world has set,
When did we lose our sense of compassion?

Pacing the sidewalk with your ego tucked low,
Notice the old man on the edge of the street,
With his body in a crumbled blanket
And resting peacefully, oblivious to the world he’s abandoned.

He wakes up to the shouts of the vendors selling trifles,
Expecting someone to notice him at last,
Everyone looks at him but nobody sees
The creases on a face that’s withered a thousand storms.

Nobody pauses, let alone wonder what’s happening
We have all got someplace to reach, a time to keep
Everyone listens but nobody hears
The old man begging, wailing for forgiveness.

Exoneration for having a heart that truly breathed,
A three-year-old walks up to give him a helping hand
When did we lose our sense of right and wrong?
But yes, we adults still have to line up for salvation.