if you were really starving

i walk

through the grocery store

fully

masked

and drugged,

wearing brain surgeon

gloves,

and with a nice blue 

surgical hat

pulled tight

on my aerodynamic head.

i'm

pushing the empty cart

past

pork and beef.

eggs and bacon,

noodles. cakes and pies.

canned foods fit

 for the Armageddon.

i see nothing that i'll

ever want

to put into my mouth

again

for years,

i can't think of anything

i want to eat.

how long

before starvation sets in?

i used to tell

my mother that i

was starving after playing

in the street for

fifteen hours

and she'd say, stick your

tongue out.

i would.

and she's laugh and tell

me if i was truly starving

my tongue would

turn black.

i have to google that at

some point.

but i'm going to the mirror

just to check.