Slip Differential by Nadya B

i am your voice with an internet connection
i am your internet connection
i am your voice

bluetooth earphones blare, brand new wingtips drowning out the poverty

strong poverty, carrying her bike up the stairs between jobs, stronger than you'll ever be

black and brown poverty

"no one ever got rich by working", you smirk

i am your voice, calm, cool in our air conditioned tree fort, implicit "no gurlz aLoud" sign above the door

we walk past poverty, carrying her bike up the stairs, richer than you'll ever be

disgusted, you buy a car. you tell me about its slip differential, its traction, its falsified emissions portfolio

like your long term investments

your car is boring

i try to talk to poverty,

i want to be her internet connection
her voice

but she is way ahead of me, no time to turn back, halfway up the stairs with her bike.

slip

differential