In Aisle Three

At  Hy-Vee

I have a meltdown

Shelves literally wiped clean

No juice, no milk, no sardines

There’s barely any meat

Except where the butchers work

I ask about an advertised sale on New York strips

I thought they had

They do, they’re just not marked

I ask for four

The butcher looks relieved

Which makes sense later when

I discover from a friend someone had just come in and ordered

200 pounds of hamburger

I’m here for just a few items

And now I freeze

In Aisle Three

Tears forming the question,

What’s yet to come?

My youngest son

was just married last week

Which never would have happened

This week

Knowing he works stocking stores

I fear he may get it

The thought of losing

One more child

Has me falling down

Gripping an empty shelf

So many plans are now on hold

The uncertainty of the future overwhelms me

As I pray for miracles

Amongst the cans of corn and beans

Barb Edler

31 March 2020