A Friend I Found In Joe
everyday i pass him on the street
with a great big smile he greets
all his belongins are neatly kept,
you can tell for many days he hasn't slept.

. today i took the time to chat..
i went over where he sat
he has paid his wage,
he looks way beyond his age,

as he pushes his cart along the way,
collecting items we discard every day..
his sun beat skin so rugged and tough,
his body looks fragile to carry his stuff

his wrinkles show great detail,
a story of it's own to tell
of whom he was, where he's been
what he has become all he has seen

he tells me he was like the sand,
and now he blends in with the land..
he points to every wrinkle on his face,
he said he no longer runs in the race

he shares some photos w/me
he points out to what he wants me to see.
one picture looked like a mountain
but it was not
it was a close up he took of his face

his eyes appeared bluer than the sky,
and sparkled like the stars..
as he told me the story of his life,

he drew tears from my eyes..as he spoke.
he is a tiny man..whom refuses to fall
he stands proud and tall

he told me that on the day i don't see him pushing his cart down the street
to look up to the mountains and the trees

and allow my eyes to trace,
and find the sketch of his face
smiling upon the land
and praying for those that need a hand

he is one of many we may have forgotten
he is a son, father,brother,uncle,friend,
grandfather,godfather,neighbor,coworker
he could be anybody..he could be you or i

Joe had this glimmering shine in his eye
a tear drop forming before I hugged him good-bye
just as i was about to depart
I noticed a bit of sunshine in his heart.

and upon on his face he has a great big glowing smile
that can be detected from miles.

when i returned back the very next day
an act of kindness goes far and beyond
I look around ..I see the people respond

I fixed Joe and his friends a mighty feast
it was something I could do in the least
they told me that Joe went away

the man handed me a package that was great in size
it was addressed to the nurse, that was my angel in disguise

in the package was a rock he carried for many years
when all his family vanished
(it represented the most powerful possession he owned and carried,
his faith was as solid as that rock
along with the St. Christopher I gave him as a gift
he wrote "END OF THE LINE-LAST TRIP MZ. T"
God gave me a lift

it was signed and dated the same day
I THOUGHT NO WAY

I dropped to my knees
I looked beyond the mountains and trees
gave a great big smile
stayed with his friends for awhile

he was very much aware
he needed someone
the last precious moments to share

I told them you know Joe
he had such fine taste
he'd be upset if we let this meal go to waste

with tear drops in our eyes
the lump in our throats made it difficult to say good-bye

remember if you happen to see someone like Joe
take the time to say hello
it may be his first
but then it may be his last

he was a soldier in his time
and yet as a veteran
he was still battling the war
called society

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Copyright©2017-1999 by Rebecca R. Hammack

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