Minimum Rage
By Robert Beveridge
A threadbare forest in miniature.
He lines matchsticks up on the tabletop,
counts them out, compares
with the rest of his pack of Mavericks.
Seven of each, maybe a quarter more
if you count the butt he had to stuff
back in the pack because he couldn't
find a trash can.
He dreams of a day soon when he
will have a paycheck, be able to buy
fifteen glorious matches, fifteen smokes,
build a forest he can't see for the trees.