The Writing On The Walmart Poem by Dianne Feaver

The last few holdouts closed up shop
turned off the lights, set the front door lock
took down their signs on the main crosswalk
and met altogether for a good long talk
about chain stores coming to the town's one mall
and how they were duped by the city hall
into thinking big was better somehow
and progress depended on the rise and fall
of the little man running the Mom and Pop
to give up selling their small time stock
and reap the savings from a giant block
of cheap goods bought from an Asian sweatshop,
O how they ranted on the way of it all
'til they were weary with resentment's gall
but nothing matched the surprise guffaws
of their wives revealing that since last Fall
each week they met in the Walmart lot
put on the hats and glasses they bought
anonymous shoppers for an hour they thought
never mind loyalty or their downtown shop
all things fair when a bargain is sought!