A soldier going home after being away for the first time

with a belly growling empty

empty as the wallet that should have been full from my last pay

empty as a laughing mouth

empty as a bottle

from the night before

the lady behind him taps his shoulder

between the bus’ seats

bony fingers surprisingly strong on his shoulder blades

she hands him a sandwich

double wrapped in tinfoil

hard fried pork chop with Lawrdy’s on soft white bread

he tries to hand it back

at the smell of the meat his stomach protests

Take it baby you can’t eat pride

the soldier falls on the sandwich

another old lady hands the boy

pound cake thickly sliced butter fragrant wax paper

an old man gives the soldier boy a half pack of clove gum

with five dollars folded small

someone hands him a battered Thermos of nearly black sugar sweet tea

ice cubes rattle

and the old people talk of being young, being foolish between laughs

as the soldier going home listens between mouthfuls