The Watchman

What stories would the watchman tell
of men and circumstance
by midnight or early dawn?
he’d tell you about the others
standing behind glass doors
  closed to them forever.

What does the watchman hear
in the dead of the hour?
the painful melody of tinkling coins
in pockets
that will never fill.

What does the watchman see
while the world sleeps?
he sees an empty road disappearing
in the distance.
the restless quiet of unsaved lives
unfolding before his eyes.

What dreams does the watchman have?
a roof over his head and a blanket over his bones.
but a watchman never really sleeps
 long enough
to dream.