KIdsWWwrite - December 2006 - Straggler in the Street

Passing by him on the cobblestone street,
I notice he has no water,
Or any food to eat
Straggler In the Street

I put a dollar into his instrument case,
And a warm expression spreads across his face
I went back home
To my warm bed
And when I fall asleep
Some curious thoughts pass through my head

Suddenly I am him
The beggar
In the road
Collecting empty cans by the half-load
People walk by
Little children stare
But I’m like everybody else
I bleed red blood
I have normal colored hair
What did I do with my life?
I should have listened
To the people that loved me
The people that cared

The weather is cold
I see a blanket next to me
But it’s tatter, raggedy, and old
I woke up shivering
Although I was in my warm house
With my warm blankets and clothes

When I saw the guy the next day
I opened my trunk and pulled out new blankets and clothes
Giving new hope
To a man with none
He thanked me and fell asleep
But I knew I helped someone out
And from everyday now on
When I pass by
He gives me a smile, wink, and a goodbye.

	Straggler in the Street Nick, Age 13, Fairfield, CT