The story is true but the poem is inspired by John Flanagan's poem "Church Of The Last Supper Revisited"

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On The Sidewalks
By La Belle Rouge


The day was warm and smelled of gardenia
blended with gas fumes and factory smoke.
Summer sun hiding behind gray wool clouds.
Light mist had begun to fall on city streets
and the empty sidewalk, where he sat,
clothed in stained jeans, torn t-shirt
once white now dirty, worn athletic shoes,
red baseball cap pulled low over his forehead.

Parental and spousal words thundered
in the center of my thoughts, all the usual
stern warnings about talking to strangers
but there was just something about
the man on the sidewalk holding that sign
“Will work for food” that wouldn’t let me
drive by and ignore hunger and misery.

On the other side of the street I saw
a group of protesters from a church
walking in circles holding white signs
with large red letters smearing in the rain
that read, “Abortion is murder” “Save Babies”.
Busy about the work of the Lord, too busy
to notice the hungry man or his sign.
He smiled briefly and tears began to fall
over his weathered face as he looked up
and saw me walking toward him.

The scent of sweat and human dirt drifted up
as he reached for the hamburger combo
and umbrella I offered. With a choked voice
he said, “God Bless You Ma’am”
I wished there was more I could do
but all I could do was tell him of a mission
close by that would feed him and find him work.
His hand closed over mine with another thanks.

As I drove away, I watched him open the bag,
lay the meal out, cross himself, bow his head
and thank his God before taking one bite.
I realized that hungry man had given me
something inwardly as refreshing and
more important than a meal for the hungry.
The Paraclete travels city sidewalks.
Oh yes.... that’s where he walks.


9/9/2008 La Belle Rouge

“Poetry, Slices Of Life”

Music "You'll Never Walk Alone"