I watched him ride
That mother’s son
alone
in the quiet city
the not quite streets of dawn
Up and down
and back and forth
alone
he rode
slowly
side to side
I watched him
that mother’s son
on his bike
in the not quite dawn
stop
bend
check the discarded Marlboro pack
Discarded? maybe, just maybe
there would be one left?
dropped not tossed
no
on again
I watched him
and I silently wished
I could reach out
and help
but
in his aloneness
he shut out
everyone
and everything
but the silent ride
on the lonely bike
nothing to protect him
from the
cold
of the city
that mother’s son
alone
I wanted to offer him
not smokes
I don’t
but a dollar
all the cash on hand
to maybe help
just a little
to the mother’s son
alone
in the shadows
of the not dawn city
living
in the shade
of the unreal
real world
a step beyond
lonely
and alone
this mother’s son.