The Poet Of The Oregon

     You are always bound to meet some interesting characters when you spend time in Oregon District. The area draws all kind of interesting people into the many shops, restaurants, bars and art galleries you can find  there.
     However, one of the most interesting people I've met is a man who for the purposes of this entry, would like to be referred to merely as " The Poet".
    The Poet has been homeless and on the street for several years and can most often be found hanging out in the Oregon District. He is definitely not your typical homeless man just begging for change though. He also claims to not to drugs anymore and most of the money he receives from people jsut goes to food and clothing. I've even heard people refer to him as the hardest working bum in the city.
     This is because instead of simply asking for money when you walk by, he will often approach you, with a smile on his face, introduce himself, and hold out a stack of handwritten poems that have been xeroxed.
     The Poet writes about many diffferent subjects, mostly having to do with the Dayton area and it's inhabitants. As you would expect, some of them are sad, but others are actually uplifting and can really brighten your day.  The poet will either recite the poems he has written for you, or give you one of his xeroxed copies in exchange for a donation of any size. Last time I ran into him I gave him $5 dollars and he could not have been more grateful.
So if you are ever downtown and happen to run into him, stop and listen to what he has to say. The poems really are beautifully written. I can only hope that his talent may one day get him off of the streets.