change

3 times
my age
left alone
in his empty
shell,
this is not
the way
we have
chosen

"excuse
me young
man, can
you spare
some
change?"

smiling
i fish
my pockets
finding
only
my fingers

shrugging;
and explain
had i
some change
i would gladly
share

"none i
have," i
say, "but
surely
i will sit
and talk"

uneasy
eyes
and
again

i shrug
and wander
last
sunday's
want ads

here may
i find
a penny

my thoughts
worth
even less