By Christopher Humphrey

I just so happened to see, by chance

Such a peculiar sight, I had to glance

It occurred during the height of day

Between the lines of faces, a happy array

I can scarcely believe I saw it

No one seemed to mind it, not one bit

It so cleverly blended in

Like the proverbial needle in the stack

That nobody could see the torrent within

Or the self-inflicted attack

The anomaly entranced me

This being void of glee

And so I went

Like a hound on a scent

Through an alley and past a shop

Not once did we stop

Our journey stretched on for hours

I began to count each brick in the road

And all the flowers

While I studied him and the melancholy that flowed

Finally, we had reached the strand

My feet settled softly in the sand

His feet, however, did not

They carried him to the sea, without a second thought

I stood there

Watching

Waiting

Listening

Nothing

I almost ran after him

But I knew better

One thought remained

Did my presence play a small part

In soothing that fragmentary heart?