Strange Lonely Men by Jennifer Lagier

At the grocery store,
Camille discovers lonesome geezers
forlornly pushing shopping carts,
befuddled by produce.
They’re unable to tell the difference
between ripe or green,
melon, peach or tomato.

She wonders if this is how
they once chose their women,
grabbing the showiest specimen
from the top of a pyramid
without consideration
for soundness or sweetness.

How many years before
the magic waned
and they strayed,
substituting a younger version
of the same cardboard model?

Jennifer Lagier has published ten books and in literary magazines. She taught with California Poets in the Schools, co-edits the Homestead Review, helps coordinate monthly Monterey Bay Poetry Consortium Second Sunday readings. Forthcoming books: Harbingers (Blue Light Press), Scene of the Crime (Evening Street Press), Camille Abroad (FutureCycle). Website: : : Poetry by Jennifer Lagier : :