Fred Aiken Writing

black friday//stay out of my head

i keep having nightmares
about my time working in a mall
around this time of year,
and though it was nearly a decade ago,
i somehow think i’ll never fully
be over the blood, sweat, and tears
spilt on the unholiest of retail days,
black friday

fill the void

when i don’t have breakfast,
i go hungry for the rest of the day,
even if i eat something at noon,
even if i eat something at dusk,
there’s a growing pit in me
that can’t seem to reach satiation,
so i begin to eat inward