Walking in Chicago

Walking west on Chicago, from Michigan
Two dollars in my pocket, lost in thought
Black man asked for change, got the two bucks
In Chicago, broke is mostly black
Not my last two bucks, 'cause I'm not broke
There's some money in the bank, not much
Wasn't hard to give, to make myself feel good
Not like sharing all I had, not going hungry

Blocks west, two more stop and ask
The last two took it all, I said
Robbed you? Shit, man, who?
Worried for me and gonna help
No, just gave them my last two bucks
I hugged the nearest, told him
I was sorry, he hugged back
In shock, our eyes met, just an instant

Both full of tears, mine because I loved him
His because he recognized the love
A moment, freeze frame in my mind and his
An embarrassment, snagged and tangled
Caught unaware, in my humanity
Frozen in my mind, I know I'll see his face
Feel his humid hug, see those tears for life
Perhaps he'll see them too

We're all so hungry for each other's
touch and understanding
Driven away from holding on
Unknowing, it's all that's left of you and me
Running, always running, chased
by fear of what and who we still may be
What others see in us and yet so close
to one another, under all that stink of fear