He has dirty clothing and smells

Yet he sits on the corner and waves

There's no sign or cup

Though looks emaciated and untidy

But he doesn't beg for help

I tried to give him a twenty

But he smiled and told me to save it for college

I don't understand the man on the corner

 

I saw him wandering the streets

He only said hello to everyone he passes

While all the others jangled soup cans

When he saw me and asked me how my saving was going

He said if I tried hard enough, I could be what I wanted

Just like he had done when he was young

Then he walked down by the overpass to sleep

I just don't understand the man from the corner

 

I was able to talk to the man

And I asked him why he didn't beg like the others

He replied that he was homeless not helpless

He had given his house to his daughter and her kids

And then he had went to another house

There was a family struggling so he let them stay at his house

He didn't want to take up a bed in a shelter that so he stayed on the streets

I guess I sorta understand the man on the corner

 

A few days ago, I saw that the man died

He had been on the corner when people tried to rob him

He gave his stuff willingly and the men were suspicious

He gave all the right answers and didn' fight

The man had served in three wars and liked to help people

He didn't drink, smoke, or gamble

He had told me he was homeless not helpless

I wish I had spoke more to the man on the corner