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The man sitting on the bench looking forlorn, defeated
Suddenly stood up
Crumbs from a maple nut muffin that he had eaten 10 minutes ago
Fell to the ground as his unbuttoned coat curled open
He looked to his left, then to his right in one quick scan
His mouth appeared to be glued shut (tightly)
However, as if trying to prove any observers wrong, he soon opened it wide
In what might have been a stifled yawn
Except for the ear-piercing scream that erupted from deep within his throat
Like an angry foghorn arguing with the sea
If there had been anyone in the park that early in the morning
To hear the wailing cry of despair
That crashed through the leafless branches of the dormant trees
They might have jumped, or at least widened their eyes
Such as one does when one is startled or alarmed
As it was, there were no people around at that hour
Not one ear heard him declare at the top of his lungs that life was unfair
No one heard him rail against the injustices he had been dealt
Except the disinterested birds and the unconcerned squirrels
"It shouldn't be this easy!"
Splittle flying from his lips as if to underscore the anger of his words
Words that dissipated as soon as they were loosed
"How", he cried into his hands as they covered his face
"Could it be this easy to fall, after all the work it took to climb
As high as I did, over the backs of those who wouldn't or couldn't
It shouldn't be this easy!"
But it was easy, and the ease with which he fell was so common
That no one even noticed he had fallen
All of the friends he thought would catch him
Hadn't even noticed he had slipped over the edge
Until it was too late
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