scruffy gentleman

you sat there

in front of your board

on it
written in scruffy handwriting

'anything will do'

 a hug, or even a smile;

he taught us, hundreds of years ago 

this is charity

and so I smiled 

and you smiled back 

slightly taken aback
 -by an alien emotion-
but it wasn't enough

I didn't feel 

like it was enough

so I rummaged

so I retrieved 

so I gave 

to you

scruffy gentleman

keep your spirit true

forever