They hunt for hope
like a pack
of stray dogs
looking
for a fire long gone—
the longer
they stay away,
the harder it is
to keep warm.

They pretend to be brave
and barter for truth,
when the markets
are closed—
there is no currency
in hunger,
only dreams
spent
on promises
that never arrive.

They chase—
each borrowed hope,
like a lantern adrift
in a sky
that has forgotten
to look
their way.