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Skip For a Mile

I spoke to an old man on the street the other day...
And I was startled by what he had to say.

He said," I reach in my pockets and they're as dry as an old bone...
I have no friends and I live all alone.

I feel so lonely each and every day...
I am looking for just a kind word, a smile, some little pleasure
along the way.

We lonely people make quite a crowd...
We've learned to live behind our shroud.

On the outside we look as strong as can be...
Inside we're dying and I wish you could see.

We're good actors and we play our parts well...
We're crying on the inside but you can never tell.

Oh, please, speak to me or give me a smile...
I'd be so happy I'd skip for a mile."

So I gave him a hug and then a big smile...
And then I felt a lot of joy as I watched him skip for a mile.

                                           TK<><

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Kp Nunez

Date: 2/20/2015 4:50:00 AM

This is wonderful, Tom. Not only for the form, the lilting rhyme and the subject...but more for the awesome feeling that jumps at the reader as the the words roll on to tell the story. It's sad but oh so endearingly sweet and ends with such incredible joy. A 7. Hugs and smiles from the thousand isles. :D Kim

Jan Allison

Date: 2/19/2015 5:37:00 PM

This brought tears to my eyes Tom - in the village I live in I always try and smile and say hello to people I see in the street - just a few kind words can make such a difference to a lonely person and it costs us nothing but a few minutes of our time:-) Hugs Jan xx 7 xx