🎙️ The Panhandler
A gritty slice of urban life — voiced by the author.
“The Panhandler” captures the fleeting presence of a man on the fringes — his cigarette smoke curling into the cold morning, his tin can catching coins and glances, and his place in the world shifting like shadows. This poem speaks softly but hits hard. With raw, poetic rhythm and voice, Richard Bell draws us into a life most just pass by.
🖋️ Beneath Shifting Skies
Where Thoughts Take Flight
The Panhandler
A panhandler shuffles down the city street,
As cars rush past in the noonday heat.
Cigarette clenched between his lips,
Ragged old jeans, torn at the hips.
Smoke curls upward through the air,
As he brushes back his tangled hair.
Where has he been?
Where did he start?
Life chipped away, piece by part.
When the sun sinks low and the streets grow cold,
Then into shadows, where will he unfold?
He dumps the coins from a battered tin,
Then slips away with a weary grin.
Tomorrow he’ll be back with a brand-new plan,
Trying once more to weight that can.
💭 If these words spoke to you… pass ’em on.
🤝 Like what you just read? Share it with a friend.
This porch light’s on for everyone.