Poor is...food

After reading "Hate That Cat" by Creech, which is an entire book written as a journal in poem form, I wanted to try it a little myself.  I guess I've thought a lot about food this month.  This set of 13 short poems reflects my thoughts on the pros and cons of life on a tight budget.  Things may have been a bit tighter than I've been used to... :) 

12/27

Poor is

taking 

so

much

food from

you

grandma.

You say we

rotate

your

food storage well

okay

then

can we take

this too?

stuff it

in the

suit case

so she won't. see we took

too

many. she gives

 us 

more. hugs

Poor is

embarrassed.

gree-dy,

grateful.

1/8

Poor is making

soup in

a jar.

Lentils.

Spices.

Fiber.

Poor is

ideas.

1/16

Poor is

proctoring,

accep-ting

xtra

positions.

Add-ing

responsibility.

Poor is

opportunity.

1/18

Poor is

being

six dollars

over childcare

subsidy. Denied.

Good

luck.Work

hard

e

r.

Poor is

fighting.

1/23

Poor is

making food from

scratch.

Omitting.

eggs

Substituting. 

powders

Chili.

Cookies.

Waffle mix.

Poor is

time! 

1/24

Poor is

what?

only

butter

and milk and

half-empty condiments?

Poor is

empty.

1/25

Poor is

your 

son dancing

when he

sees

bread

eggs

yogurt

in

the refrigerator.

Poor is

guilt.

1/26

Poor is

using 

up gift

cards.

Birthday

pizza. from
October. Thank you
brother!

Poor is

joy!

1/27

Poor is

m

i

s

s

ing

organic

blue corn chips

hummus

beach sun

Poor is

nostalgic.

1/28

Poor is

McDonalds

as

the

o

n

l

y

reward.

Poor is

fattening.

1/30

Poor is

having 12

cans 

of 

tuna

and

15 cans of

kidney beans 

to try and
make

a

meal. 

Poor is

creativity.

1/31

Poor is

eating

food

samplers in

bulk.

Those were 

just

appetizers, you say?

Delicious.

Thank you.

We'll leave now.

Poor is

devouring.

2/1

Poor is

over

looked,

husband

skip.p.i.n.g 

lunch

to

save

a

buck.

Poor is

sacrifice. I

love. you

wake

me

up next time
to make you lunch. At

least take

the

package

of ramen.

New

flavor even!

Poor is a

learning 

experience.

No need to

rinse and repeat.