are what they want to give us

crumbs

the brown dust from the big meal

I can live on that
because I have

but if I can just hold off starvation
long enough to mold the crumbs
into a full loaf

I’ll eat well

grow strong
go knocking on their doors
at suppertime
maybe grab a little more
off their tables
run away

and if I can do this a few more times
maybe

I’ll make a banquet and feed a few more people
who’ve been living on crumbs

and if we can do this a few more times
maybe

we can build a table or two
grow strong
grow crops
harvest and prepare
make something of our own
for the tables

and if the formerly fat someday
knock on our doors
looking for crumbs

well
we’ll have enough crumbs
for them

to learn how to do for themselves