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Used-To lives on
a very strict budget.
Packing calculators,
Used-To turns months
to something cheap,
the backroom maze
where pallets and stock boys
hide from new customers.
Holding up a loaf
and a basket, Wants-To
has cash and credit cards.
It’s an absolute emergency.
In the produce aisle,
racks of onions,
heads of lettuce rolling.
Wants-To was already choosing apples
when Used-To found
out he had a son.
*
Used-To grabbed
a six pack, turnips
bleeding.
Lounging
on the couch now,
Used-To reminisces.
Wants-To had a thirst
for one-ton trucks,
Used-To for scales.
*
Pushing a big cart,
Wants-To bumped
Used-To in the rear.
Set as concrete,
Used-To still dragged
a sack of sprouted spuds.
In the next aisle,
Wants-To lifted arms
of paper products.
Paying homage to the ground,
nostalgic Used-To looked
down and found a penny.
C. J. Sage is author of The San Simeon Zebras and Editor of The National Poetry Review and Press.
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