Death Valley Pizza Maker - July 25, 2025

red-faced, he shovels a pie

into an orange-coaled oven

turns, as one drop of sweat grazes

the box he loads for a customer

eight hours later, waves goodbye,

grabs his keys, walks out the door

through another oven before opening

and slipping into yet another

drives home, lingers long

in front of the open frig

one cold beer before dinner

a few more become dinner

I wonder what he dreams

rolling on damp sheets in the dark

next to an old wheezing compressor

barely holding off hell

maybe last year’s summer job

with Death Valley Roofing