Jambalaya
you park the car, walk in, and hear the regular hustle n’ bustle
a child crying
a woman laughing
register’s beeping
you’re making jambalaya tonight.
produce: onions, peppers, tomatoes
you get a call... it’s your wife...
“yes babe, I got the red AND green peppers”
you shake your head and continue your journey
an eerie feeling looms over you
but you swear it’s no different than the white lady clutching her purse when you walked by
or the white man holding his daughter closer when your just looking at some clothes
so you proceed, with caution of course
you detour to look a some cards an there’s employees at both ends of the aisle
you pick a card, it says happy anniversary with sunflowers, her favorite.
you purchase your items and leave but you forgot that water at the bottom of your buggy
those employees from the card aisle insist you’re stealing
things get tense
the entire store is watching
you swear you’ll pay
you reached for your wallet, and died with $5 in your hand a bullet in your back
all because you were GSWB
Grocery shopping while black
