Homeless Man

I saw a homeless man in the street
With dirty clothes and a bowl at his feet
Asking for money from those who passed his way:
“Spare some change?  Have a nice day.”
 
Most of the people just walked past
Heading for markets, shops and cafes,
Ignoring the man who sat on the ground-
I expect he had been there for days.
 
Yet there was still hope in his eyes
And I wondered at his enterprise:
With what little money that he had
He’d bought colouring pencils and a pad.
 
And he sat there drawing pictures-
To sell to you and me
£3 each he charged for them
To get something for his tea.
 
And I was struck at his humble situation;
Living on the street
Yet making a living of sorts
To enable him to to eat.
 
And I pondered too that art, like life,
Can be found in the unlikeliest of places:
A homeless man with almost nothing at all
Could still be a creative oasis.

MDC
 
 (NB:  I bought one of his pictures and gave him an extra £1 for allowing me to photograph him.  In hindsight £1 was perhaps a bit stingy).