Chicken Shack

my aunt worked at the chicken plant
for twenty years

until her fingers and knuckles
made up their own minds to quit

and Steve the white boy
who worked on the ammonia compressors

when one blew up
the ammonia destroyed his lungs

andy the security guard
would trade the industrial ice they made

to keep the chicken chilled
for a six pack of beer

mike whose sexy wife caught him screwing
that little psychotic slut from Chili Town

she worked in the front office
and had been colonized like you and me