Hungry Humans

I saw a man eating out of a trash can

Yesterday in a crowded square

It was carnal and he ate quickly

Hunched over and fixated

on the food

You could tell he was hungry

By the way his teeth ripped

through the meat

Disposed of by a stranger

only seconds before

I stared with a sense of curiousity

Though it probably translated

as pity

or disapproval

I found myself wondering about his life

How he probably went

From eating off ceramic plates

To diving head first

Into the mouth

Of a trash can

In a crowded square

People like me

Staring astutely

Secretly astounded by him

But we all know what it feels like

To be hungry

We all know what it feels like

To gnash our teeth,

tastebuds alive

and activated by the act

I wondered if he felt self conscious

If he noticed me staring

If he was as acutely aware

of the glances in his direction

As I was

And the muffled whispers

of judgement

circulating

the air around him

Or maybe he didn't care

Maybe he eats from the same trash can

every day

Embracing a sense of humility

Because he is just a human

who is hungry

We are all just humans

who are hungry

Hungry for love

Hungry for acceptance

Hungry for peace

With teeth that gnash

and tongues that taste

and skin

that covers bones

With eyes that can look at

the same thing

And see it

so differently

Pity, or perhaps

Admiration

With hunger that pulses

in our stomachs

Every day

our basic needs acting

as a common thread

We all must eat

to survive.