Sorrow Seller

“new griefs for old!” “new griefs for old!”—

the sorrow seller paces the streets and malls and trawls the internet with this call: “new griefs for old!” “new griefs for old!”

people crowd around him in real time and online they are so sick of grief of old— “new griefs for old!”

and they buy in exchange

the sorrow seller just turns the griefs around and sells the old griefs as new

the sorrow seller calls: “new griefs for old!” “new griefs for old!”