POEM A DAY – April 21

*Warning: This poem is about boobs.

What Happened When I Went to the Italian Bakery with My Shirt Unbuttoned

I mean, I was in the store for a good fifteen minutes
filled the metal basket with: meat sauce, pizza, panini, cheese
ordered a pound of roasted turkey sliced thinly
grabbed a package of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies
stood at the pay counter and packed three bags worth of groceries
as I walked out to the car, a man in a giant black SUV stared me down
I thought, huh, that happened
I felt a cool breeze on my chest
looked down and 

the middle button undone
my black lace bra 
my pre-menstral swollen right boob
for all to see

I was in a space with four women
none of them told me my boob was hanging out
it took a leer and a gust of wind for me to notice
my parts were hanging out

I implore you WOMEN!
have a sister’s back…er…
have a sister’s front! 
I would tell you! 
I will tell you every time:
your button is undone!
there’s food in your teeth!
there’s snot in your nose!
there’s blood on your pants!

I said to my daughter when I got home:
be the sister who tells her sisters
when their boobs are hanging out
she said: I will, mom. I will.