Babyless Baby Shelter

Michael looked at me 

Between his beer and nothing-to-lose cheer 

And stuttered out a riddle 

Disguised as a simple question. 

Have you ever seen a baby stroller 

With no baby inside 

Just a can of tuna fish and crackers 

Alongside last year's clothes? 

He was working on a book of poems 

To replace the one they stole 

When they took his backpack and lighter 

But not his last $1.75. 

It's not that he needed input 

Nor that he was trying to judge, 

He only hoped to learn 

How much most folks still had to learn. 

Teared up at the thought of his daddy 

Dying in a cancer ward 

Disappointed in his son out of obligation, 

Proud out of sheer desire.

Then he looked back at me 

To ask his daily riddle: 

Have you ever seen a baby stroller

Nobody asked for but pushed anyway?

Sam Hendrian

ABOUT THE POET:

Sam Hendrian is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker, poet, and playwright striving to foster empathy through art. From writing personalized poems for passersby outside of LA's oldest independent bookstore every Sunday, to making Chaplin-esque silent films about loneliness and human connection once a month, Sam lives to make other people feel seen and validated. More work can be found on Amazon, YouTube, and in various online literary magazines.