grocery list

you have no
food in the house,
but you keep
returning to
the icebox to
check anyway.
it's cold breath
exhales on you
with a sigh
of no. still
nothing.
so you make a
list of things
you want, and
need, before you
go. you put
love at the top
of the list.
in fact it heads
the list in bold
black letters,
it's the title
of your list. love.
and then milk
and bread,
eggs and oranges.
potato chips. you
put down shampoo,
but quickly cross
that off, then
write oatmeal,
those little dark
chocolate espresso
beans, lettuce.
and a few other
things, that
don't beat, or
bleed.