Skyscrapers of dog food

loom overhead,

brought up by aching shoulders

on ladders,

over shelves where customers

ask for assistance.

The floor,

unwaxed for weeks,

feels the rumble of carts

that race to the checkout lane.

Registers pop and ding,

explode with money

that comes from shelves'

little yellow stickers.

Big Red Signs:

$ave $.96 on 24 cans

of cat food line the wall,

need to be faced,

because at 9