Third Place
I’m gathering evidence of hope
news taken from the paper
people are eating again
in Darfur or eating a little
or some of the people are
eating a little
I want to get this right so I
reread the news fourth page
second column
the noise of too many morning voices
reverberating off the ceiling
I observe people in conversation
we’ve all stumbled
into famine of a different kind
logos cover every surface
opulence for the common man
I like it here
the feel of it
when I walk through the door
the girl knows my drink
extra-hot latte with caramel drizzled on top
I cannot turn away from excess
from the cup steaming my glasses
from the measured geography of hope
from the next paragraph
people in hard-backed chairs
leaving scones broken
on too many
pristine plates
(Originally published in Alimentum)
