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On his way to work, he buys
a double espresso and a croissant.
Sole breadwinner, he says he deserves
that perk, while I worry the bills
we can't afford to pay, do the wash,
and drink black coffee from a chipped mug.
October's trees dazzle with color,
leaves crunch underfoot, scent like cinnamon
pulses the air. I push one child in the stroller,
cajole the other to stay close as we head
to the market to buy ground beef on sale.
A sudden wind whips dead leaves in our faces.
On impulse, I stop at the coffee shop
where I imagine him whipping his wallet out
like a man who prefers his Porterhouse rare.
I lift one boy onto my hip, steer the other
to the counter and with the meatloaf money
buy a foamy latte and two hot chocolates.
This poem first appeared in U.S. 1 Worksheets in 2017.
Used here with the author's permission.
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Nancy Scott was an author and artist in New Jersey. Managing editor of U.S. 1 Worksheets for more than a decade, she was the author of five full-length books and four chapbooks. Nancy began writing poetry in the mid-‘90s as a way to share experiences and insights from her earlier career as a social worker. Nancy's latest poetry collection, A Little Excitement, was named "first choice for summer 2021 reading" by North of Oxford. Her art was frequently hung in juried shows and, sometimes, her poetry and art were featured together.
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