After putting
One more layer
Of clothing
On her two shivering,
Giggling,
Daughters -
Angela returned
To the pile
Of newspapers
(Recently liberated
From her neighbor's
Recycling bin).

After carefully
Crumpling up each sheet,
She wedged them
Tightly into
The gaps along
The window frames -
Spaces large enough
To permit snow flakes in,
Where they vanished,
Slowly
(Due to the frigid
Living room temperature).

It was too early
In the year
To turn on the heat.
Warmth now
Would surely mean
A shut off of the gas
For non payment -
Before spring's thaw
(Like last year,
When the youngest
Almost lost a toe
To frostbite).

A page in the
Money section of
The USA Today
Caught her eye -
It proclaimed that
The sale of homes
In the $10 million +
Range was "sizzling".
Buyers were paying cash.
(One real estate agent
Stated that the $500,000
Commission on each sale
Helped maintain her two
17th century
French chateau).

Angela crumpled this
Sheet as she had
Done the rest -
Targeting the triangular chasm
Between the door
And the jam.
Her concerns were loftier.
(How to stretch
Two cans of tuna,
A handful of rice,
And warm hugs
Until payday).

12/26/2011

Author's Note: Some things, unfortunately, never change.

Posted on 12/27/2011
Copyright © 2025 Terry Olynik