in the red

you see a note
on the table.
food, rent, car,
gas, electric,
insurance, phone,
miscellaneous
all with a dollar
number attached
at the end.
it's all added
up and subtracted
from what's
coming in, leaving
very little,
but enough.
you wrote
the note forty
years ago.
nothing changes
too much, but you've
added alimony
and child support
along the way,
lawyers, the blood
you bled.
putting you very
close to breaking
even, or
slipping into red.