by Jennifer Lagier

For months, I kept books,
shoveled shit out dog runs,
held animals for injections,
carted vaccines, syringes
into pastures and barns.
Tracked down vets
for wives and clients.
Held off salesmen, creditors,
state and federal investigators,
FDA officials with warrants.
When necessary,
paid outstanding bar tabs,
confiscated truck keys,
drove the comatose home.
Worked holidays,
evenings, weekends
for minimal pay.
After a year,
requested a raise.
They said for that salary
they’d rather hire a man.
With clenched fists,
I walked out forever,
punched out a window,
tore up my time card.

Jennifer Lagier has published eight books of poetry and in a variety of literary magazines. She was nominated for a Pushcart in 2011, taught with California Poets in the Schools and is now a retired college librarian/instructor, member of the Italian American Writers Association, Pacific Northwest Writers Association, Rockford Writers Guild, co-edits the Homestead Review and The Monterey Poetry Review, maintains websites for Ping Pong: A Literary Journal of the Henry Miller Library and misfitmagazine.net. She also helps coordinate the Monterey Bay Poetry Consortium’s Second Sunday Reading Series. Visit her website at: http://jlagier.net