He prowled the streets, a cypher

Pulling a name from memory,
but I only knew him in shadows,
at the edge of my vision,
sometimes catching my eye,
prowling the streets, a cypher,
beyond the norms, conventions,
what we expect in this life.
 
He wore a heavy old trench coat,
gray, maybe drab olive green,
he walked hunched over, heavy,
at the back of yards, the streets.
 
I remember his hair, a toupee,
more looking like a jet-black skunk,
stapled, affixed above his forehead,
falling almost down his neck.
 
I only knew him in shadows,
I am not certain I know his name,
not wanting to harm a living specter,
a ghost prowling the downtown,
the streets of an American city,
curled shoes encrusted with slush,
black dirt of March, the streets…
 
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February 25, 2024
He prowled the streets, a cypher
 
 
All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 53,000+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
 
Poetry,
 
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