Sidewalk Shepherd
Today Savannah’s squares
are drizzled gray. On Drayton Street,
a man in house shoes and a raincoat
shuffles toward the curb, waits for his dog
to pee, and tells me
in his thick Spanish accent,
A good place to go is the Catholic church.
When I say that’s where we’re headed,
he nods his approval.
Take your time. Thirty,
forty minutes. You will love it.
I thank him and wonder, briefly,
as I dodge a puddle,
whether we look lost or if he is
simply guiding us to reprieve
from the rain. Maybe he fancies himself
some sort of evangelist to tourists —
slightly disheveled, unassuming,
pointing us, in his way, toward God.
9 thoughts on "Sidewalk Shepherd"
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That ending turns and surprises in the best of ways
Love this. Captures the quirky beauty of that great old city, one of my favorites.
Love the title! Surprising turn to the whole poem. Loved it!
I love the impression left by this transitory encounter
Nice one, Chelsie. Love the turn at the end and the line “whether we look lost”. Loaded.
Savanna!
Nice !
You paint a lovely scene!
This is wonderful, from the title through to the end.
I love this morning story. Guidance vs perceived judgement.
I enjoy picturing him in his “Shepherd ” attire as well