Work

A Poem by _mal

Saw you again today, over by the soup
all covered with dark colours
head lowered jaw jutting
spine looking like it wanted to break out
of your back
shirt hanging down to mid thigh over a
jersey pulled down over your fingers
over sagging black jeans that would have clung
to anyone else ankles together
feet planted arms folded
chewing skin off your top lip.
I can see tins on the shelf between your knees

could point to the one you’ll come out with
(same as last week) you’re in a nervous bubble
people passing pushing trolleys double take
and snigger like you’re funny
or make loud comments offering a sandwich
you don’t start shaking until they’re gone.
I tug my uniform down over my a*s and
read the calories in the
discarded items I get to put away
passing you and your three things three
more times in twenty minutes, sick sad
kind of jealous before
I’m called up front to sit and scan
hundreds of things
for women who
smile big and fake, if I look up

skimming my hand over my stomach
a nervous twitch when I notice you in the line
down the end and in response
the lady I’m serving pulls
her shirt away from her stomach
and quickly tells me she’s having a party…
looks away as I place the ice cream
in her trolley
where I notice the bruise on my knuckle and
smile and nod
thinking of how many times my front teeth
have grazed that skin
watching you march out with those same
few things as always