More Please

(I wrote this poem for a non-profit organisation called the Worker's Action Centre in Toronto: http://www.workersactioncentre.org/ It was for their wage theft campaign.) I think of Oliver, standing there, eyes upturned, bowl in hand More Please! I hold a cheque in my hand, eyes upturned, my hand clenching More…pleasssse! I earned more! Stomach knotting, my eyes flicker closed, even just for a moment, for just one moment let me be… somewhere, someone else. How can they not understand? Don’t they care, don’t they get it! About the twists, and the aches of life, or of the dreams; you had! I had! We had! My children! My child! My life! How can I buy for you? Food again, not on the table tormenting, my innards, my despair, my need, your need our need everyone’s need to just live!