25 Cents, Please
by D. K. Sterling

James insists he know what's
best, and Ellen's telling him
she has her own ideas
concerning

having frayed her wings
trying to beat back
the weight of their mud slide
of emotion;

although he counts his
as nothing more than
pocket change--
nickels and dimes
in a soulless machine
spitting rock hard gum balls
and cheap plastic prizes.

Well, she hopes the ring fits,
and those red dice are
lucky ones.

She's calling it quits
before he changes her mind.