Barely Enough

Another day drags, I open my hand,

that check crumpled, a joke gone too far.

It laughs at my dreams, a cruel reprimand,

a reminder my hope is caught in a jar.

I watched my neighbor, groceries in tow,

smiles masking the weight of the grind.

We dance around struggles, this cruel undertow,

each penny a puzzle, no peace we can find.

The coffee-stained paper, crumpled in grief,

reflects all my worries, an endless refrain.

We push through the hours, seeking relief,

yet all of our laughter feels tethered to pain.