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Saturday, September 26, 2009

UNEMPLOYMENT

by Andrew Hilbert


outside the liquor store
there’s a guy in a wheelchair
with both feet gone,
where they were
are now two rubber bands
holding the pant legs together
to hide the wounds
he’s in between two other Mexicans
waiting to be picked up
for some work

my girlfriend has to hear me complain
about how much i hate my job every day
and today she’s driving me to work
when i see this

on my way home at 11pm
a well dressed Cambodian is biking
as fast as he can somewhere
i guess to work because i want
to feel worse about feeling
sorry for myself

the streets are littered in Norwalk
and i complain in an air conditioned vehicle
to and from work
because i can afford to complain
because i don’t have to look or wait for work


Andrew Hilbert has a degree in History at Cal State Long Beach and lives in Orange County, California.
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