Was down near the park today, saw
many people sad worried stressed hurried
people saw a man walking slowly alone with
a sign above his head

Free hugs in a nice Arial font black letters
on a white background easy to read to see
as he held it above his head and I thought
what? I didn’t know what to think

I stopped and watched hidden behind my
eyes I watched him walk and smile and laugh
at people sad and hurried walking around and
through him if they could

He was a nice looking man had an army coat
clean Levis brown suede shoes with one lace
trailing behind each other step it was sunny
and a little chilly (it was January)

I saw hundreds of people file past walk silent
with no looks no smiles no idea how sad they
were how apart and alone even in the crowd, I
saw them part like water around him

I climbed out from behind my city street mask 
and slowly walked up to him, caught his eye his
smile creeping from the center out…he stretched
his arms wide and stopped

Right arm up and left arm down I wrapped my
fear around him and squeezed while his joy
seeped into me and his arms fell around, as
his laughter rumbled from a cavern

It was a few seconds a hundred days it was a
connection touch the direct line from my soul to
his to theirs to all the people walking around
and through us if they could

I could not stop the smile could not prevent the
happy could not understand why but I thought and
thought that the sad worried stressed hurried
people were missing so much

I let go and he let go and laughing we walked our
ways our particular direction with his mark left
on me my echo left with him…40 feet away I turned
and saw another hug being given away