THE VOTE

I voted today

stood in line six hours

circled the names

marked the spots

checked the boxes

connected the dots

matched the rows

totaled the columns

for

food

shelter

clothing

a job

medical care

dental care

education

a job

equality

justice

freedom

a job

I’d do it again

and again

I got mail today

stood in line six minutes

from:

State of Abandonment

City of Indifference

Department of Profiling

Board of Infringement

Local County Precinct

Voter Re-designation

to:

Homeless Underpass 66

Cardboard Box 52

“Dear Sir,

You’ve been purged.

From "LISTEN" by Shirley Howard Hall