downwind from Wall Street

downwind from Wall Street

we ate a three course meal,

under cardboard shingles

blankets for booths, 

we pretended well,

the sandwiches were cold quarter pounders with cheese

which weighed more than we 

for dessert, a half bottle of wine

we found in a basement crawlspace

of an abandoned building,

newspaper tablecloth,

we read as we ate,

some article about a bank going under

getting bailed out by the government

we each took a swig of our dessert,

to wash down the limp fries

and blur the ambiance 

just enough, so that we 

could imagine a tip

for the imaginary server

and bit extra for the maitre d

who had sat us.

erin-cilberto

3/20/16

Reviews

[R.M.C]

A lovely take on poverty, the use of a three course meal... food is one of the main things many people take for granted (and I'll admit I take it for granted). The use of a bottle of wine for dessert makes a small reference to those who drink heavily; you've said they drink it to numb the ambiance but to also wash down their food and that they had just found the bottle, indicating they're not drunks (like some envision the homeless) and that they don't waste their valuable money on alcohol but are just drinking it because they need a drink. I really like the end part, where the homeless persons humanity is brought to light with the mention of tipping the imaginary waiter. A great portraying piece.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, R.M.C.

j.

[James]

The reality of homelessness and poverty. Every meal seems like a three-course meal and wine is the only cure for the cold. Thank you,

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, James..

j.

[highonwords]

this is the face of poverty - i see this in the streets, poverty is rampant in almost all parts of the world - thank you, jacob, for writing artistically a poem advocacy on people who are suffering from poverty - very potent writing :)

regards,
steph

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, steph.

j.

[highonwords]

you are welcome, jacob :)

steph