Loose Pocket Change

Loose Pocket Change A whistle blew And out went candlelight It’s wax ,cascaded and crystallized It’s tears, warm and heavy, emptied into the deep A bouquet of wilted flowers Before the grave Dark shadows of death Stalk and circle those in blackouts Black birds crow and fill the mind and burry the spirit Sunken fishing boats Bare hooks Empty nets Loose pocket change In a pit of a bag Stolen instruments Black water under the bridge Dirt and grime consumes it Garbage and human remains float Garlic peeling at the harbor Women’s work Men burn firewood for charcoal Children get home schooling Come feeding time, children fight Typhoon blew stick houses down Rice and grain swept away Momma pawns everything To open up her shop Placing a bet on her life A promise to feed her husband and lad In the ruins of the slums Hunger bury those who go without Marckincia Jean Free verse 09/17/19