Met a man just the other day
Who exactly I can’t say
Lost in time, with no plan
Just another hopeless man
A lonely man, walking a distant road
On his back, an unbearable load
Too tired, too worn, to even care
Naked, empty, nothing left to share
A crumpled man, prematurely old
No life it seemed, left to unfold
Passionless, frail, so very thin
No family, friends, next of kin
A man whose life passed him by
No one there to hear his cry
Like all other men, or you or me
Bound to death, can’t break free
His face, so very worn
Darkened eyes, filled with scorn
Face and eyes, lost in time
Life forsaken, without rhyme
Not till at home, did I see
There I heard his desparate plea
For meaning, love and purpose be
Essential things, you would agree
Disturbed me so, this war torn man
Felt his load, my life did scan
Across the room in the mirror
My own life became more clear
His ghost, shadow, phantom be
Strangely now, a part of me
How you ask, can that be
Look in the mirror, you will also see
Poetic Alchemist 