Not Today

On a park bench

On a chill fall day

When the brown leaves twirl

Like broken helicopter blades

Crashing to the ground

Sat a lone young man with

A thousand yard stare

Premature flecks of gray in his hair

"He Looks so sad"

thought the little girl

With candy stained lips and

Bouncing curls

With the grace and empathy

Only Available to the young

Such as she

The little girl pulled on the sad man's hand

She gave a chocolate and a smile

Then away she ran

The tears began to trickle from the corner of his eye

The hand in his pocket uncocked the gun

Put away the death and tried not to run

As he got up and went home

One thought echoed through

Not Today