Monday Candy  by Nancy Schatz Alton

The coffee shop is cold, patrons ease into Monday.

The dog exhales in white puffs. Ritual makes

the work week easier. I push into word tasks.

See the light orange persimmons pop against bare branches?

 

The dog exhales in white puffs. Ritual turns

Sunday’s losses into a fading story that I’m almost done telling.

The light orange persimmons pop against the coral red house.

I eat colors like they’re candy M&M’s: shove 11 into my mouth: yum.

 

Replace Sunday’s losses with the coffee shop conversations:

firings, dog walking pays, lateral & convoluted: an educated customer base

I eat gossip like its candy M&M’s: shove 11 in my mouth: yum.

Until the tales turn to complaining: yuck.

 

Car prowls, expensive Seattle, tangential & true: I’m a thief, are you?

Throw chatter & mix with my same old sobfest: oy, I crave silence.

Grumbles & sagas, overheard conversations duplicate.

The coffee shop is cold, I ease myself into Monday.