“I think of your brother”

A stranger with no legs at the sidewalk,
What a happy fourth of July
he wished us as we passed.

We’re going shopping, see,
But he was so very real,
And some kind of sincere.

A kind smile,
Some kind of smile,
He made me believe he was happy to see me,
Only me,
And I was happy to see him too.

My beautiful mom walked right up to him,
like she had an appointment.
And tried to return his favor,
Tried to make his day easier.

A couple dollars maybe,
”How’d you lose your legs?”
She asked as a friend.
”Diabetes.”

Then she reached into her bag and got something else.
A sticker,
"HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY,” it said.
And she gave it to him, smiling wide.

I’ve never felt more befriended by a stranger.
So close, it was hard to walk away.
But my dear mother,
She’s the one who did something.