Dream Kitchen
Jan Chronister
A tiny girl about two years old
spots the child-sized plastic
kitchen at Goodwill,
her smile the brightest thing
I’ve seen in days.
Mom and Dad don’t share her joy,
faces clouded with worry and fear.
If I could speak Spanish
I might have offered to buy it
for her.
Will it fit in their car?
(Do they have a vehicle?)
Is there room for it in their house?
(Do they have a home?)
In my kitchen
I open a bag of romaine
picked in Florida
by migrant workers.
What will happen
when thousands disappear
from the work force?
(What will happen to them?)