he is a welcomed aspect of my evening
where on the city street corner
with the same expression
at the same time
each and every night
he stands proud, yet shy
to sell his wares
"big issue, get a copy of your big..."
stopping mid sentence to greet me
with the same line
each and every night
as i come into his sight, still 20 steps away
he shouts
"hello beautiful ebony, how was your day today?"
with an orange juice (his favourite),
and a met ticket on a monday
tuesday, a loaf of bread
and last thursday a surprise: a pair of new warm socks
i respond bowing my head ever so slightly
"a good day thank you greg. and you? you take care now"
and now
each and every day
on the same city street corner
i am restored
and ever grateful
smiling as i walk to catch the tram
If we just worry about the big picture, we are powerless. So my secret is to start right away doing whatever little work I can do. I try to give joy to one person in the morning, and remove the suffering of one person in the afternoon. If you and your friends do not despise the small work, a million people will remove a lot of suffering. That is the secret. Start right now.
~ Sister Chän Khöng
see-saw (i)
this city inspires and elevates
and likewise surprises and disorients,
just like the playground i remember so fondly
from yesteryear
and when i see him
in one single instant
i am transported
to the feeling of being
suspended on a swing
somewhere between rise and fall,
simultaneously everywhere but nowhere
my heart skips a beat this time again
for although he leaves behind
a folded and worn newspaper
and a small collection of peanut shells,
i remember when i first saw him
on a tram north-ward bound
with tears welling in my eyes,
when feeling so immensely overwhelmed by his presence
i had to get off at the next stop
and likewise surprises and disorients,
just like the playground i remember so fondly
from yesteryear
and when i see him
in one single instant
i am transported
to the feeling of being
suspended on a swing
somewhere between rise and fall,
simultaneously everywhere but nowhere
my heart skips a beat this time again
for although he leaves behind
a folded and worn newspaper
and a small collection of peanut shells,
i remember when i first saw him
on a tram north-ward bound
with tears welling in my eyes,
when feeling so immensely overwhelmed by his presence
i had to get off at the next stop
to be
all the while
amazed by your
courage and strength
for just one moment
i would take you under my wing
if i knew that
you would be kept safe
and your hope preserved
through nothing other than
being present with you
in this moment
amazed by your
courage and strength
for just one moment
i would take you under my wing
if i knew that
you would be kept safe
and your hope preserved
through nothing other than
being present with you
in this moment
tram 9 15am
wearing my woolly-sheep coat on this rainy melbourne day
heading to wesley mission for my first day as support worker
i notice the man who takes the seat opposite me,
& as i do often, as a somewhat sub-conscious reflection
of my genuine interest and kind regard for people, i smile
a jack daniels can for breakfast
a comment on my beauty
a thank you for my smile
assurance that he will not bite me
an acknowledgment that this is my stop
a well wish for a lovely day
the doors open and i am welcomed again
by the crispness of the morning
here in this city that i love
heading to wesley mission for my first day as support worker
i notice the man who takes the seat opposite me,
& as i do often, as a somewhat sub-conscious reflection
of my genuine interest and kind regard for people, i smile
a jack daniels can for breakfast
a comment on my beauty
a thank you for my smile
assurance that he will not bite me
an acknowledgment that this is my stop
a well wish for a lovely day
the doors open and i am welcomed again
by the crispness of the morning
here in this city that i love
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