Zero Tolerance
how something sweet is often rotten
the smell of garbage
the sound of a tax cut
the feel of a few extra
dollars in a wallet
to buy silence or indifference
children in camps
concentrate
a little brown girl flails
grasps air
her heart an empty elevator shaft
her chest an air pocket of grief
concentrate
little ones march into a repurposed Walmart
aisle 5 allergy and
pain medicine
aisle 7 mouthwash
toothpaste dental care
aisle 8 home repair
and home security
aisle 10 orphans in
underwear
aisle 11 infants sob
in despair
we watch in flatlined flat-screen calm
shake our heads
stand before the ballgame begins
hands over hearts
brave at home
pray for the dead
pray for forgiveness
fall into bed
--Charlie Brice
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