MAGA-Hatted Woman
Quick grocery run — dog food and batteries,
Express lane for the hurried
Flanked by women of color —
The one ahead hands me the divider
A thank you and smile from me,
You’re welcome and smile from her,
We both look ahead.
More-than-middle-aged woman in front
Pauses checking-out to look at us —
The woman in the Russian red hat,
The Make America Great Again hat,
She sneers at us both,
A haughty smirk —
Turns to face us
And insolently touches the brim of her hat,
As if to say
Look at me,
I voted for him,
The one who will
Make America White Again.
Black woman looks down
Avoiding confrontation
Like her shackled ancestors
From long ago
Like her silenced ancestors
From not so long ago.
I look hard at MAGA-Hatted Woman,
She tips her head in my direction
As if to say
Do you see what…
