A weathered old man is wrapped in
an old military surplus wool blanket
on a cold stone sidewalk in the
windy city of Chicago, Illinois.
Passing people pretend he’s not there.
He’s too far gone to care,
drugged out and oblivious
with worsening health, death closing in,
living only for his next fix.
Who would have suspected
he was a decorated war hero
with three tours in Viet Nam.
Bob Boyd