Have you come to hang your head?
Have you come to hide your tears?
The hinge on my door squeaks, announcing the weary.
I know your sun is not shining.
I have seen this storm coming
since three weeks before Colorado,
Vegas, and Arizona. You went looking
for your hunger. You’ve come to tell me
how many scraps you’ve stolen.
You are fat and well fed, but I could starve you to death.
I welcome you in knowing
I haven’t a crumb left.
Ann Kestner is the founder and editor of the online literary journal Poetry Breakfast. For over 25 years her poems have appeared in various journals. Her poem “Jukebox Girl” was the introduction poem to the inaugural issue of Memoir Mixedtapes. During 2017, she was the poet in residence and director at the Poetry and Arts Barn in Cream Ridge, NJ where she hosted a variety writing groups and poetry readings. You can find more of her work and a list of upcoming readings at AnnKestner.com.