Hard Crust

It is the 1990s
In Austin Texas,
I am at a grocery
Store trying to find
A real loaf of multigrain
Bread baked fresh hard on
The outside but soft on the inside
So I ask the teenage attendant if
They have any such bread fresh
And he responds, “Yes, I took
The loaves out of the freezer
To heat up just this morning.”
I look at his innocent face
And ask who is in charge
Of fresh bread who is a
No nonsense woman
Who tells me they
No longer bake
Real loaves of
Bread hard
On the
Outside
Soft inside
Because customers
Complained the crisp
Hard crust hurt their
Mouth so the store
Bakery stopped
Making them.
I stare at her
Practical
Face
And long
For a loaf of
Dutch country
Multigrain bread
On which to place
Butter ham and cheese
While I wonder at my
Fellow citizens who
Are too tender to
Take the bit of
Real bread
Which is
Why
Abe Lincoln
Could never be
Elected these
Days, too
Hard crust.