I picked up
a bagel
toasted
with butter
and an OJ
(made by the proprietor)
fresh squeezed

like my wallet
soon
as the total
boasts $5.29

"on what?"
I think
as I reach
for a single

laughing
at my previous thought
that the five dollar bill
in my hand
was way too much:

they must have squeezed
some gold
or silver
as well as oranges
into this small
plastic bottle

or perhaps
hope

maybe an elixir
to induce
short-term memory loss

to forget
that I just spent
nearly $4
for 16 oz
of squeezed fruit
(that's $1
every 4 oz)

and over a dollar
for a bagel
toasted with butter

but I suppose
I'm paying
for the labor too

and yet I'd
much rather
and probably like better
if I had done it all
myself

like write this poem.

01/20/2009

Posted on 01/20/2009
Copyright © 2024 Jeffrey Parren