Slowly
She packs her belongings into a plastic,
trash bag
Her children’s belongings were packed into
an additional two plastic bags

Three bags of belongings,
all she could take with her of her former life
She placed the littlest one into the baby carrier,
the oldest one followed her out

She sat on the stoop, awaiting the cab
Homeless again, this time with two babies
She had no idea
How to keep her head above water
She always felt like she was
drowning,
Fighting the current for control,
fighting against poverty.
It seemed she lost the battle
everytime

The cab pulls to the curb
The oldest child she takes by the hand,
leads her to the car.
She walks back to get her trash bags full of belongings,
takes another look around
To the shelter they will go,
Hopefully for the last time.