Once a Man

The man on the street, does he have a name?
Was he a lover, a father, a provider?
Living in shadows praying for pennies to fill his hunger.
No longer food but booze.
Loses his pain for hours not having to live
Up to what he has lost.
Pain to deep to stop.
From a three bedroom house to a leaky cardboard box.
Food moving on his plate. 
The dumpster his store.
A time of sadness and despair.
A free man, no responsibilities.
No family to claim him, no one to turn to.
Alone.
We walk by and turn our faces to the hopeless animal.
Crawling about on all fours for food.
Scribbling help on a sign.
Moaning foul words.
Crazed ranting his language.
But he was once a man.