The grey concrete of the Metro Blue Line's Florence Street station is a dreary backdrop for the morning commute. But as a downtown-bound train stops, releasing a stream of departing passengers, a young man with a bright smile pops out, striding on the platform with joyful purpose in his step.

At first glance, Robert Williams looks like another commuter trying to get from point A to point B. But as he walks around the station, he looks equal parts friendly and determined as approaches the other passengers. 

Many look away, avoiding his attention.  There's never a shortage of panhandling at Metro stations,  which  may be to blame for their hesitancy.  Those who will listen, though, are suprised to find all Williams is begging for is an ear.

“Hello, would you like to hear some poetry today?”

Williams has been using the Metro to get around Los Angeles since he was eight, but only recently has he taken it upon himself to offer messages of encouragement to his fellow riders. He started offering his poems after he saw suicide prevention signs at Metro stations.

“I noticed that people actually take time to jump in front of the train to end their lives,” Williams said. “Before they do that, I might be able to say an encouraging word to help change their mind from doing anything crazy.”

While suicides have plagued each one of Metro's train lines, the Blue Line has seen a disproportionate number of those, with 31 deaths from its opening in 1990 through 2013.  

Though suicide rates on Metro lines have dropped since then, Williams, who attends college in Compton, continues his crusade of positivity, remembering a time when he needed inspiring words to move forward.

“I got encouragement myself riding on the train and seeing a poet doing the same thing," he said. "So I try my best to be a great poet on the train."

READ MORE: Intersection Holds Highest Number Of Blue Line Accidents

Though Williams’ uplifting message is typically well received, he is still confronted with those who are unwilling to lend an open ear to his words.

“Before I open my mouth, people would already think I don’t have anything good to say; I’m a shyster or scam artist,” Williams said. “People get very irritated and mean when you’re trying to say something positive in their time of peace.”

Through all the heckling and negativity, Williams presses on, hoping to bring his prose from the Metro to the big stage: He'd like to become a motivational speaker for the youth across America.  Until then, he will continue to use Metro trains as his mobile platform, flashing that contagious smile in hopes of helping other people find a silver lining in their day.

Reach Contributor Daniel Tran here or follow him on Twitter here