Over Billions Served

By Salima Rivera
There are secret stirrings
in the womb of night.
Bitter gestations unfolding
into meaty mushrooms
spiraling toward the glare of neon
in search of warmth
and a cup of coffee.
Ever notice the grace of withered fingers
as they spider over the remains
left behind by overfed children?
Crumbs from a sugar crusted pie
offer small consolation against
cruel days that knife into empty bellies
waiting for the charity
of the seasonally guilty.

Notes:

“Over Billions Served” was first published in It’s Not About Dreams (Erato/Poetry, 2014). It is reprinted with permission of Kayla González Huertas.

This poem is part of the portfolio “Salima Rivera: A Chicago Rican Poet.” You can read the rest of the portfolio in the March 2024 issue.

Source: Poetry (March 2024)