Jason, Jacqueline, and Jamie

Jason and Jacqueline weren't really in love at the time anyway. In fact, Jacqueline was spending a few nights a week at a hotel downtown. She said it was easier for her to sleep in a clean bed, and the bed at her home with Jason was often spoiled by crumbs. Jason always had an appetite which resulted in bits of dry, salty snacks falling into the sheets.

So they weren't really in love at the time. But that was no excuse, as anyone will tell you. The excuse, as it turns out, was Jamie. But she wasn't the excuse for staying in lonely hotels, she was the excuse for reclaiming the house.

She was a crumb, and Jacqueline hated crumbs. So one morning, after a clean night's sleep downtown, Jacqueline was appalled to return home and find Jamie the crumb in bed with Jason.

"You little crumb," she shouted.

And although she didn't really love Jason at the time, she made a show of being hurt in front of him at the time and in front of the court some weeks later.

Jason felt shame in spite of his unlove for Jacqueline. The problem was that he didn't love Jamie either. He was just in love with the game all men love to play. He had an appetite for crumbs like Jamie like he had an appetite for dry, salty snacks.

So Jason had a snack, Jacqueline had enough, and Jamie was swept out like a crumb. And Jacqueline had a clean bed minus hotel expense.

And Jason stayed in a hotel with his snack.

And nobody was even in love at that time or any other.

I fear poverty;
I fear it will make a thief
of me.

My eyelids,
though heavy with fatigue
born out of stress,
are wide open,
watching for opportunity
to take what I need
or might need.

I cannot despise
the beggar
shoplifter
thief
in me
or anyone else
these days.

LIKE AN ITCH

It's like an itch.
There are these pains
irritations
pressures
frustrations
that seem to be relieved
only by intensification.

Like an itch.
It's small
and irritating
and you scratch it,
you tear at it,
to make it go away.

And like an itch,
the pressure on my eyes seems like
it will only be relieved
by pressing them into my skull.