less than a mile
from my oceanfront honeymoon suite
a young mother
counts the money in my wallet.
she doesn't care
that Franklin and Hamilton
weren't presidents
or that my Visa cards
are maxed out.
my wild night on the town
will feed her kids
for two weeks.
enlightened by this fantasy
I clutch a bottle of cheap rum
and daydream
about feeding her to the sharks.
Paul David Mena
22 February, 1997
Somerville, MA
