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A freezing rain coats the sidewalks
people from the city bus
clutching bags while going into the wind
the sound of a church bell at noon.
People from the city bus
walk from place to place to
The sound of the church bell tolling
for a long line to the free meal site.
A walk from place to place
people bear the weight of their lives
a long line at the meal site
a man on the park bench ignored.
People bear the weight of their lives
face a change of weather.
A man on a park bench ignored
dreams of better times.
Facing a change of weather
people go into a coffee shop, last dollars spent,
dreams of better times
shared by those in line.
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Mike Bayles, a lifelong Midwest resident, writes about human connections with nature, different settings and with other humans. His most recent book is Breakfast at the Good Hope Home (918 Studio Press), a literary collage, that tells a story about a son visiting his Alzheimer's father in the nursing home.