Ilana Gustafson
The Barista Drew a Sad Face on My Cup
In the Starbucks, I hover
my hand over the two mouths of the trashcan
holding a receipt from something
I bought the day before the fire. Now,
one of my only possessions.
Grocery Outlet, a bargain market, $18.03
The yogurt and clementines meant for
the morning are mingled somewhere on
that toasted hillside with the ashy sludge
of all the tokens not taken. I can't decide between
Landfill or Recycle, so I put my hand back
in the pocket of my only jacket, feeling
the tube of lip balm that's been there for months.
Bio
Ilana Gustafson is a Cuban-American writer and theater artist who has written and performed with companies Studio Zanni, ARTEL, City Garage, Rachel Rosenthal Company, and others. She was living in the foothills of Altadena, California when she and her partner lost their home and belongings in the January 2025 Eaton Fire.