Cup of Coffee

He had gloried in it. 
The cut and thrust. 
The need to succeed. 
To strive for more 
than ever before, 
when he had more 
than he would ever need. 

And his major battle 
was his own self doubt. 
The fear one day 
he would be found out. 
It would all come to an end. 
And it had. 
The money train. 

As the world fell apart 
all around him 
and he made one mistake 
after another. 
Fell so low 
too slow to recover. 
And he drifts in shadow. 

On the fringe. 
When the days hinge 
on small margins. 
A few pennies here. 
A few pennies there. 
And success hangs 
on the price 
of a small cup of coffee.