GAY PAREE!

Gay Paree!

We - our coach party - had had a long day in Paris:

Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, Montmartre,
the Eiffel Tower -
We'd seen them all.

Now it was evening -
And, as we strolled
After a good meal and a glass of wine.

We complained about our sore feet -
And the price of coffee.

Then we came on a man seated on the ground.
A man whose face told a story -
Of hard living, pain and rejection.
As he held out his begging-bowl.

Bending to drop in a coin,
I was shocked to see -
Two bare leg stumps only
Protruding from his trouser legs.

And we - who, by comparison, had so much,
Had been complaining -
Because our feet were sore -
And the price of coffee!