outside my window a stray dog limps by
an old woman bends down to pet him
and feed him what looks like some pieces of chopped spam
the dog's tail wags
he licks her face
the lady laughs as she pets him
meanwhile across the street
a homeless man sleeps under a bridge
shivering through the tattered blanket that almost covers him
still hungry
still alone
the sun breaks through the clouds
brightening all it touches
but the man under the bridge remains
stoic
casting his shadow upon a ground that we refuse
as his feet cautiously carry him into the sunlight
he reaches for a cardboard sign that reads
"will work for food," or could be,
"am dying for your sins"
there're two large sunken black holes
where eyes used to be
his skin looks like weather beaten leather
that's seen too many cold and wet nights
cars speed past him
splashing him with water from their unconcerned tires
finally he turns to walk away
trudges back under the bridge
sinks down into himself
i look to the sky
where an airplane writes in the endless blue
etching out the words, "This is my america"
as i look back under the bridge
the man takes a drink
from a bottle wrapped in a brown paper sack
then lies down
he is weeping
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