coat with an ink stain

it's dark when you leave
for work in the morning,
dark when you get home.
it's cold.
it might snow.
you can't live like this
much longer.
you throw the mail
into the trash
and peel
back the plastic off a slice
of low fat American cheese
while standing at
the kitchen sink.
you turn the milk up
to your lips
and drink from the jug.
it's two per cent,
so you feel good about that.
you go into the living room
and turn judge judy on.
you hate her,
but can't stop yourself
from watching.
how will this case end?
this struggle over
a hundred dollar
coat with an ink stain.