BREAK TIME

I work in the basement
underneath the sandwiched layers of
the bustle and the buck,
the corrupt, chug, chug, get to the
top
from bulky men in polished striped
suits that pucker, stuff
their breaths.

I wander
out back, slender women break
for cigarette snack, chatter cracking
broken walls and laughter sways,
c’mon, don’t play
they scold one another,
hands on hips, lips that have
long since let that go.