As rain lightly falls on the street
Strangers hurry and rise to meet
The grayness of day they greet
Cascading and sweet

On the corner is a weathered man
With frail fingers and a shaking hand
Holding out a small tin can
As part of his daily stand

Upon his furled brow are the tracks
Of long forgotten dreams
Some lived well
Others unrealized
It seems

Slightly bent
He resembles a statue
In his old rumpled overcoat
Missing buttons representing years
Worn with joys and tears

Seeking help and a small percent
Of human kindness and value
Just one coin or paper note
To keep afloat
In a world where the meek are forgotten
Sorrowfully, time and time again

In return for your compassion
He gives you a holy ration
His way of an eternal soul deposit
Fumbling aside an old family locket
As he reaches into a torn pocket
To retrieve a hand written note
On crumpled damp paper
With these words:
“Thank you for your generosity today
I cannot repay you but I have much time to pray
Let my prayers for you be my sharing
For helping me and caring”

Extending kindness to a stranger you meet
Brings unexpected blessings cascading and sweet
As the rain falls lightly on the street