Walking home last night at the Métro Bonaventure Station, it was later than usual. It was passed eleven for I usually see several homeless persons lying on the marble sidings soaking up their last minutes of warm slumber. Between eleven and one in the morning, I am not sure if the police alert them of the time or if they have internal clocks but it was after 23:40 and I only noticed one man sitting by the door where late commuters rush off to catch their busses off the island of Montreal.
People kept walking by and the man was not holding out his cap nor mumbling anything as is usually the case when we go by some homeless persons…he looked so tired. I felt bad no one was stopping…true it was late and many were coming home from work…not all late evening travelers are revelers.
I sat down for a moment putting down my backpack, rummaging through the mess looking for my change purse, searching for change to give to this man. I rarely carry money but change, mind you, here in Canada means $1 and $2 coins along with the quarters, dimes and nickles…we got rid of our pennies. Good I found enough to get a coffee and soup at Tims perhaps {I must pick up some coupons from Tim Horton to have handy}.
The man looked at me and I could not see he had a smile {without my glasses} but I did take a few photos} that I had noticed only after seeing the photo. As I walked passed him, stopped to give him my coins, he thanked me so kindly with such a nice smile…the same smile I saw later on that photo.
Such a worry for the homeless people this time of year…last night it was dipping to below 20C and it snowed all night…a nightmare for anyone stuck outside in this bitter cold for more than an hour.
© Tournesol ’15/01/16
Tournesol dans un Jardin 
Your matter of fact tone carries this story into our hearts … one wonders if no one thinks about this winter reality of the homeless at the administrative level. Why close the Metro for three hours during the coldest hours of a daily cycle? I seems os perverse. Thanks for sharing your haibun.
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Thanks you, cara. Experimenting with photos and found just the photo and tanka alone may stand as a haibun, non? That photo tells so much…the hardships they live day after day.
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It is really a great photo and could really stand alone …. both the tanka and haibun project a great image and don’t need the reinforcement to see the vision. Really wll done posts.
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Thanks, cara, it is allowing me to see many things differently when I take a photo…I have the moment, the thoughts in mind…just have to compose the poem:)
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I agree taking a photo fixes the memory not only digitally, or at least that’s how it works for me.
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Yes, so many photos I took last year were for stories which are hard to keep up with but with poetry I can keep up.
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This was a lovely read — humanity and compassion is all of our responsibility.
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Thanks, Chris, glad you enjoyed it:)
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