I came upon a broken man

I came upon a broken man;
tattered and worn he cupped his hands,
“Could you please spare some change, I pray,
on such a cold and heartless day?

In God’s sweet name I ask of you…
is there some good that you might do?”
I looked at him and turned away,
on such a cold and heartless day.

But then I stopped and turned again
and put some money in his hands.
‘God bless you, friend” I heard him say
on such a cold and heartless day.

I came upon a broken man
On such a cold and heartless day.


I said to him, ‘why are you here?
The weather’s getting worse I fear.”
“…I’ve got no home nor place to be;
but God always looks out for me.

I’ve been through war and been through hell
I’ve faced the guns and mortar shells;
I should have died in ’43,
but God always looks out for me.”

His eyes were looking far away;
another time, another day.
“My buddies died and I’m still free;
but, God always looks out for me.”

I came upon a broken man
On such a cold and heatless day.

This post has been edited at member's request.Wordman,

Keny,

No one who has served their country in battle should have to live this way. They are owed much more than that way of life.
Your poem is sad, but very realistic.

You would know better than most; how difficult it is to survive the physical effects of combat, let alone the psychological ones.

The 'broken man' might feel that God always looks out for him, but the healing comes from a total stranger's act of kindness.

Wonderfully written, my friend.

Keny,

You can write a Kyrielle, a Villanelle, a Whatthehelle, Howthehelle, or Whythehelle, and it's always a treasure. I have seen that story played out and it's heartbreaking.

I thought our soldiers' return from Viet Nam was horrible but your poem bears out the horrendous truth that it didn't end there. I don't understand why we aren't more compassionate with each other...

Thank you for a reminder we all need...all too often.

Sadly and vividly written...a heartwrenching picture you have painted with your words.

~~flutter~~

Will we ever learn? I think not, for we did it again.

Death and destruction brings riches to the power structure,
we will do it again.

Jack

Ken...this may sound strange, but half way through your Kyrielle sonnet the structure seemed to take second place over the words you have written...I became lost in them. I assume this is a good thing!

I have talked to many guys on the street and in the soup line...but for a tragic turn of events have found themselves living as a pauper. I know some choose to be there, but there are many who do not. It is distressing and to our shame that those who were willing to lay down their lives should have to beg for their next meal...yet it happens everyday.

Thanks for this strong reminder to remember the broken people. You just never know the story behind the face...you just never know the life behind the rags until ya sit down and get to know them. Perhaps the truly poor in spirit are those who choose to look the other way.

“I came upon a broken man
On such a cold and heartless day.”

Very good writing my friend...very good!

“ Lionheart
~

La Juliette , I agree that no one should have to live this way, but they do. In the end, all we can do is all we can do – which is also what we should do. Does that make sense? The broken man does feel that God is looking out for him. Perhaps the kind acts of strangers are His way of doing so. I do believe he who is giving benefits most of all.

Thank you for your kind words, Pam. You are near and dear to my heart.

Galatea, you flatter me – and please, don’t ever stop. Perhaps I should post what exactly defines the Whatthehelle, the Howthehelle, and the Whythehelle but…I don’t have them anymore….they were lost forever, I think.

True compassion is a gift from Above. Compassion with strings is just collateral. There are many compassionate people on this earth, however. Am I one of them? I try to be, but I am not always at my best.

Thank you, Becky, for being Becky.

flutterbug, your words are always kind. I do believe you are one of the good people God placed on earth for a reason. It is not a reason most of us understand, and perhaps fewer still try to find. Thank you again.

MoMule, Will we ever learn? We surely have not yet, have we? I only pray that we are learning, though. Everything happens for a reason, albeit reasons we may not ever understand. There is always one good thing for men like us to remember – we know how the book ends. It is a happy ending.

You are a good friend, Jack.

Lionheart, I’ve got to admit writing kyrielle sonnets is pretty tough for me…the specific rhyming pattern, exactly eight syllables per line. Writing within a specific structure without compromising content is not something I am used to doing.

I can tell you are also a man of compassion, my friend. There is a story behind the rags and scars of life these men and women face. Those that live as ‘broken men’ are no less deserving of happiness I think, but it is very hard for them to find sometimes.

Perhaps the truly poor in spirit are those who choose to look the other way.

Amen to that one, Lionheart. I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Ken