i watch as
worry
fear
the promise of
incarceration
skips across me
and then settles
into dad's wrinkly
face.

thirteen
thousand
dollars

a
sixty-two year old
man
who's worked
his whole life
for a family
stuck with a bill
by a cup of coffee
with yellow teeth
and diamond earrings
on a leather couch

thirteen  
thousand
dollars

people are always asking
how much am i worth to you
how much money
would you give
to be with
me

thirteen
thousand
dollars

is the cost of
one whole year
that threw your entire life
into shadow
doubt
complete and utter
chaos
fear
despair

thirteen
thousand -

- pieces of paper
that we have put worth upon
now decide
your fate
you will lose your
house
your family
everything
you own
if you do not pay
but let's be real
you've lost it all
before
can once more
hurt
any less

thirteen
thousand
*******
dollars

in arrear
fees
this is how much
one year
of complete horror
is worth
and no,
no one pays the ones who suffered
we pay
those that won...

thirteen
thousand
dollars.