People's Poetry

clothingpoem #2

I came in haste not prepared
for cold
so today we visited a
vast warehouse
dollar-a-pound clothing in
bins hundreds
of folks mostly poor stuffing
shopping carts
I pull on a jacket glossy
black quilted lining
zippers galore pockets pouches
on the back
a great round garish screaming
seminole
gold red green black a smaller
logo on the
front I take it off ask a man
across the table
what team is seminole english
is not his
language he points to the
jacket pushes up
his sleeve to reveal a quiet
tattoo of an indian
in full headdress raises his
eyebrows to me
points do I want it my daughter
states it's
not you mom yes it is but I
hand it over the
bin leave in a sedate green
75c windbreaker
© Jacqueline Jackson 2008