the hustler

a man sits alone
on a corner
his clothes once nice
have been beaten and battered
his face once young and bright
has become down cast
and full of anger
the look of a man punished
by the world
his jacket is unzipped
and his hands in his pockets
pull it open and closed
a sign of the nervousness
and paranoia
that reals within his mind
his shoes are scuffed from walking
and running
hiding and jumping
and when he takes his hand out
a small gold ring
wraps around his left ring finger
his hat is pulled low to cover his eyes
and his face though well groomed
is not quite clean shaven
his wife is at home
watching their child
waiting nervously for his safe return
the man rarely smiles untill a stranger approaches
and with them the prospect
of food on the table
then his smile lights up their world
as he does what he does
the only thing he knows how to do