THRIFT STORE
by Andrea Ascah

Shopping among the old blankets and rugs
time has passed into and mixed with
smells of sweat, food, old age
I found a framed note
"Hilda—Thanks for Passover the dinner
—Marlene"
A bright orange sticker pasted on its side
reads two dollars
and refers to the blue-plaid surrounding it,
I assume.
This Hilda, she had cared enough,
to preserve this unremarkable note from Marlene.
It seemed an unequal equation,
unrequited love
illustrated by plain white paper, ballpoint pen
and padded frame,
sitting next to a chipped white vase
which reads, "Pedro and Juanita, May 11, 1967"

BARBIE AND KEN
by Andrea Ascah

I remember playing with dolls
when curiosity undressed
and found smooth plastic hips
brown magic marker nipple
and a promising Silly Putty penis
which disappointed
when it stuck, squashed
between the crack in her hard thighs
my childhood was drowned
in a wading pool
next to a pink plastic RV
leaving only shiny blond hair
floating
ready for you
to grab and pull
to the surface