Standing by the bare pantry, his wife looks at him through eyes of pain and anger.

His own eyes red, swollen, his head pounding,
He hears his children crying.

Their last dollars in hand, he walks into the grocery store,
Where he finds, on the same shelf
Bread and wine.

Carrie Backer is the author of two children’s books: Wayne’s Trip to the Moon and Mr. Jacobs and the Serving Spoon. Carrie also enjoys writing poetry and short stories and has a new-found interest in creating microfiction and flash fiction. Carrie’s books are available at backerbooks.com.