SHORT CHANGED

but when my intoxication level
is anywhere in between
I busy my mind with thoughts
of killing you

short changed
today in the supermarket
or the ‘food store’
as my roommate
more correctly phrases it
something was askew.
the cereals were named Tide
and Wisk and Bounty
and the salsas were labeled
Hood and Oakhurst.
the produce section
included items
like Breyers and Dryers and Edys
and the water was bottled
by Pepperidge Farm and Oreo’s.
the red wines came from companies
named Tampax and Snuggies
and the white wines went by Skittles
and Baby Ruth.
the coffee and teas were imported
by General Electric
and the fabric softener was made
by Planter’s and Worther’s Originals

and when I went to the check out
all the registers had signs
that read, ‘140 items or more’

in fact, the only thing that seemed normal
was that the old woman
in front of me
who was paying for her bill
was counting out $784.14 in change