For Survival

Nidhi Gandhi

Edvard Munch. “Christmas in the Brothel.” 1907.

mothers sell their babies
for money
women sell their cooches
for money
men kiss shoes
for money
children sew flower necklaces
hands bloody
for money

families eat their dogs
dogs eat other dogs
prisoners drink toilet wine
inmates take beatings from guards
who were once pounded at home

there's all kinds of cruelties in the world

we are all prostitutes for love
too bad there isn't much to go around

Nidhi Gandhi is an emerging writer and MFA candidate at CUNY City College of New York, and as one human put it, "a tempest in a teacup". She is also a graduate writing center tutor, rhetorician, and an incoming adjunct instructor. In her free time, she watches way too many cat videos and rocks out to dad rock music. This is her first poetry publication.