Mother worked the ten hour shift
Tonight
To put a plastic chicken
And a string bean
On the dinner table

I poked it with a fork and
Steam came out. When I threw it
On the ground, I will swear  
It made a sound

I haven't had meat since Christmas
Mother
Remember?
She looked at me
Red eyed
These weak ten hour shift
Eyes.

On second thought,
I can't even call them eyes
They were in sockets and beady
Black and red, broke and
Needy

Mother shoulders Colossus
With a full life shift
She comes home blind and
Plops a plastic chicken
And a string bean
On the dinner table

We'll stay halfway broke
With these life time shifts
I'm ******* hungry
I haven't had meat
Since Christmas