by Kayla Blau

“Cookies and water” was written with chalk on the side of the shelter today
The kids set up a lemonade stand-esque business model
Bought corner store cookies with couch cushion coins
Flipped off brand Oreos at 300%
Chilled the water jug in the freezer like the young entrepreneurs they are
Mom’s EBT card got lost in the mail again
This is dinner
This is taking malleable minds off emptiness
Off Hot Cheetos for breakfast
Off no one coming home
Off no home to come home to
“Cookies and water”
“We made $22.47 today!!”
Such pride in their pockets
This filling holes
This ends unmet
For what it’s worth
They’ve learned no one hears you
with that many
Holes in your pockets

Painting by Faith Te