Monday, May 16, 2016

poem of the day 05.16.16

standing in line at the big pharmacy chain

you know the one
there’s at least two of them on every block
on every avenue here
five registers at the counter
but only one of them ever in use
serviced by some over-worked cashier
paid a politician’s idea of a living wage
and a line snaking half-way through the store
if i wasn’t hungover and in need of water so badly
i wouldn’t even be in this place
behind the old lady with five package of paper towels
behind the chinese chick with a basket
full of nail polish and polish removal
behind the old man buying two for one razors
who probably forgot his special store card
behind this cranky woman
who so desperately needs a plastic dog lawn ornament
that she’s willing to suffer this as well
behind the blonde with her starlet sunglasses
shouting on her cell and sucking on a gallon of ice coffee
who, i know, is going to pay for her m&ms with a credit card
i’d take my business and go elsewhere
but there’s nowhere left to go
the big pharmacy chains have gutted the neighborhood
the mom and pop bodegas are gone
when my stomach rumbles here
there’s only dunkin donuts, mcdonald’s or subway to feed me
this block is littered with so much corporate waste
i always feel like i’m at a convention
screw it, i think
but i really need the water
plus some headache aspirin
only i don’t want to get out of this line for it
because the guy behind me has a cart full of soda
and the woman behind him has six boxes of cereal
and three bad children
because the old lady with the five package of paper towels
is arguing now with the cashier
about what the weekly flyer says versus this abject reality
that we’ve all shoved ourselves into
i think someone farted or took a shit in their pants
so i stand there and wait
head pounding and gas pains doing a number on my chest
reading the glossy tabloids all about the forty year-old actor
who looks about half of his age
the one who wins awards and sleeps with twenty year-old models
who looks like he’s never stood in a long line like this
wishing he could kill everyone in it
or was forced into buying two for one of anything
with a special store card
that one of his various handlers most likely
forgot.


                                   

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