Me Discussing Privatization

The 1980s, Pt. II

Mornings in Harvey
My mother headed to work
bright and early leaving
me and my sister to
get ready for school
my sister with a curling iron
in her hair listening to toni toni tone
and Atlantic Starr and me watching television
and listening to the radio before we head out
Nikki with Toni walking to school
on their own,independent,
so they can sneak boys back to the house after school
and me and Patricia waiting for Mrs. Cobbins to take us to school
Patricia stuffing her purple bag and watching Rainbow Brite
as I wander aimlessly around their kitchen
breaking the handle off of the kitchen drawer
because I didn't know that it served no kind of purpose,
just stuck there,glued to the counter
for some kind of decoration.
Throwing that handle under the sink and
heading to the television because they
didn't have to know I had been in there anyway
so I just plop down in front of the tv
and wait for Mrs. Cobbins to once again ask me
if I want some McDonalds so I can politely refuse
because that is what I'm supposed to do
even though I would like some of those
hotcakes with syrup that Patricia will gobble down
before we even turn the corner.
Out of the car and into the school
where Patricia will cease to know who I am
and I will once again be thrust
into the middle of contained chaos.