This Man

He jumped back suddenly
and left himself standing there
Circled this man slowly
to take a look
and see what others saw
This man's face that in repose
quiets small children
even when his mind is elsewhere
and drifting in pleasantries
The grin this man meant to show
and often felt
seldom broke the surface
and he wanted somehow to explain

And when this man before him reached
to touch another tenderly
and understand their heart
to share their pain
with all the love he felt
It was strange to see how nearly
that touch seemed to be
a mere tugging at the sleeve
Not at all what this man meant
at least from the look of it
Standing back, one could hardly see
his tenderness at all
and he wanted somehow to explain

And so he followed this man for a while
mirrored the purposeful stride
of himself on the street
to see if he would stop this man
as a stranger might and ask directions
if he himself were lost
and searching among the faces
of passersby for a glance that held
and might point out the way
He looked to others on the street
and watched their eyes for clues
to this man who was himself
and he wanted somehow to explain