i used to play grocery store over the table
with rusty quarters nobody would ever take
i would quit the games because i wasn’t able
to pretend for too long and act like a fake

the more i played, i became better at the games
and it almost felt like i wasn’t exhausted
there wasn't ever a set goal or aim
til i saw some food that had to be defrosted

the box behind the counter has all the quarters
and the food and the uniforms and the papers
because lifespans are getting shorter
and all my grocery dreams have became vapor