Twenty-first Century Woman | Meriwether Clarke

Meriwether Clarke is a poet and essayist living in Los Angeles. Her work has recently been seen in The Michigan Quarterly Review, Prairie Schooner, Gigantic Sequins, The Superstition Review, The Journal, Prelude, Memorious, Juked, and elsewhere. She holds degrees in poetry from Northwestern University and UC Irvine’s Programs in Writing.     LATE CAPITALISM BLUESThe grocery store is where lonely peoplego at night. We skim the aisles like netson a pool not looking for much besides the touch of a stranger’s shoulderbrushed against ours. I can’t say why I thinkthis will happenif I stand beside a chip display for justenough time. But when I do, there is some small pleasurein the way fluorescents shine on cellophane bags.It’s not that different than when the parking lot light catches my hair as I slouch toward my car. A man nearby winksand I, too,am something to hide his solitude behind, to wishhe could buy.