the pawn shop

the pawn shop door is open
and i enter quickly
as my heart throbs
in my ears

the overweight, balding owner smiles
and i explain quietly
that my love is useless
against sex

the man pats my shoulder
and i cry softly
as he turns my soul
in his palm

i wipe my eyes dry
and he tells me gently
that my love is too precious to gather dust
on pawn shop shelves

he pushes me into the street
and i blink cautiously
as the cloudy sky presents me
with a rainbow

(june 7, 1998, 12:26 a.m.)

By Sandy S.