Clarke County

The smell of vinegar brings it back
the whole of it is fluorescent lights and stainless steel
tinted to unreality by prescription sunglasses
surreal describes the feeling, but not the place
the place . . . the place is called

limbo

and you’re stuck their until
your advocates on terra firma, your earthly beloveds
can pay you or pray you out
and prayer is for the poor
limbo is filled with the poor
money is godly virtue and money
will set you free
justice bows to money as it passes
fairness sinks to its knees out of respect
humanity lowers its head and hides its eyes
when money—the master—is speaking

Yes

the rich pray with money
the poor pray with heart
guess which currency is accepted
in Clark County limbo

-Kegen Dean Benson