a shallow thirty minutes

i run into my

friend jimmy at the liquor store.

he's asking

the clerk if the vodka

he's buying is keto friendly.

the clerk

scratches a spot

under his turban and shrugs.

beats me, he says.

hey jimmy,

i say to him, tapping

him on the shoulder.

how's it going?  still out there

on the dating sites?

yes. he says.

shaking his head,

it's costing me a fortune.

i never knew there were so

many poor, hungry

women around here.

i'm like the statue of liberty.

give me your tired, your

poor, etc.

i hear that, i tell him.

it's a jungle out there,

everyone is looking for love

now, he says.

they want that forever

kind of love, deep love,

you know what i mean?

but at this point i'm just

looking for a shallow thirty

minutes.