"A Kind Festival"

Walking along the streets of Castro,
A day of art and wine,
A time to smile with anonymous souls,
And browse at the paintings from Italy,
And try on flowery hair accessories,
And admire the photography from East Asia to Napa Valley,

While listening to an African American baby girl of two,
Belt out some soulful blues,
I heard the news of a Filipina woman,
Fighting for the tribal rights of California Indians,
And signed her political petition,

Then the musical notes of a guitarist arose,
And he received a series of dollars in his instrumental suitcase,
And while on my solitary stroll through this multicultural street,
I gave a dollar wrapped with a 1x2 inch smile,
With the hope that it just might add,
A little more than monetary value,
To this old man's day in the South Bay.


-from my smile-card experience at the annual Art & Wine Festival on Saturday, September 8, 2007 in downtown Mountain View on Castro Street. For more information on spreading anonymous acts of kindness through the delivery of smile cards and generous acts, visit http://www.helpothers.org/.