At the bake sale

Amaretto Apple Muffins

Gloria of Canela's Kitchen

apple and blueberry pies, 

cookies, fruit cups and rum cakes

-          fresh and warm  -

greeted our cheeks,

tempting us to part with dollars

hard-earned in the city graying with unemployed

and homeless sleeping in park benches at night.

ears buzzed from protests of teachers, 

we bit into sweet concoctions:

chocolates, walnuts, topped with strawberries.

on foam plates, we mulled failings and promises,   

-          broken and cold -

then washed it down with steaming coffee. 

  

smiling ladies in power suits hovered near

sharp-eyed professionals in another day but today :

runners, activists in this charity bake sale.

quickly  dollars filled the bottle labeled : 

-          Daily Bread Food Bank   -

                  

Update:  I am pleased to announce that this poem is included in the second Issue of Nain Rouge, January 2013 

Posted for OpenLinkNight of D'verse Poets Pub - I wrote this post during autumn after participating in our company's fund raising events.  I have come to appreciate that behind the business suits and urbane clothes are men and women with compassion.  Giving and sharing is not just for one season but the whole year.  

This is also one of my poems I submitted for Nain Rouge's 2013 first quarter's publication.  I got word from the editor last week that they will use at least one of my poems.   My thanks for the support and encouragement of Brian Miller.