Consumerism

Sestina

My economy-sized Coffee-mate creamer could stand
upright and on its own in the cabinet
so it wouldn't roll on its side
if I adjusted the shelf. It's all very easy:
my solution. I know I risk it spilling
when I open the door

and that one day, a grainy, powder cascade of creamer behind the knob-less door
will no longer be building, or holding itself. It's a dam in the cabinet
it's waiting to spill
and wanting to consume me from all sides.
Adjusting the notches could make everything stand
on its feet. The solution is so easy

it's not risky or playful. Reminiscent of Easy St.
Boring, stationary brand name creamer standing
next to the Pringles, the raw Sugar in the Raw, filed side by side
in front of the Maxwell House, Fritos and the Orville Redenbacher popcorn. Nothing will spill.
It's a tight fit, and it's cheaper in bulk but harder to get to my door.
Brand names take up too much space in my cabinets.

It's a double coupon Tuesday gamble that overflows from the cabinets to cupboards
A losing, wallet-emptying game I no longer adore.
The store's displays make it seem that everything can be displayed easily:
Green Giant green bean pyramids, Kellogg cereals showcased. Anyone can understand
all that preciseness, when it's meant for monetary consumption. So much hassle for a spill
that could happen because the Coffee-mate was on its side.

Why shouldn't it be on its side?
I'm not afraid of becoming a ghost. If I do, I'll haunt the pantry, I'll moan from the cabinets.
Why should I have to worry about understanding
the philosophy of kitchen organization? I didn't choose to have chaos behind the door
because of Super Saturday sales. It's never been easy
for me to resist a sale. So it remains: should I let the creamer spill

everywhere because the Doritos were two for five, so it can spill
on my new thirty-five dollar sweater?  My life dictated by my cabinetry
it's enough to set me over the edge. And it could be easily
solved. If I didn't want to fight it. I don't want to be walked on anymore, to lie on my side
as the Red Baron  kicks down my door
and raids my freezer. At the end of the day, it's too much to want to understand.

My weekly grocery run is no longer easy.  I can't understand how the shelves aren't spilling
over from the overstocking. So much to put in my cabinets. So much to haul to my door
I never asked for all the choices and sales. But, that's besides the point.