5

page five of etiolated. text in and out of panels reads: a lot of evangelical teaching encourages such compulsions and death wishes. suicide warning sign: subject gives or throws away possessions. i haven't acquired much. i don't like to have more than i can carry. that which i do have is precious to me. little holds me. i hold so little. i feel pangs of sadness in the homes of my friends. their relative wealth and stability are evident in their shelves of things. what kindness the world must show you if you can use so many things. i use things out. shed possessions like crab shells. hand-me-downs and thrift stores. mending ans swaps. art transformation. except for one glorious year when i made a living wage. paid off medical debts. adopted a cat. began the garden. bought a winter coat made of wool. ate a variety of foods. now i'm back in debt selling everything i can. the garden sustains me. 
around the words are decorative illustrations. flowers and leaves. a collection of seeds, scissors, a cane, glasses, a trowel, and food stamp grocery receipts. shelves stacked with bottles and vases and photos and books and a screen and a computer. a little hermit crab. and a simplified garden in red and green filled with abstracted plants.

i can buy seeds and live plants with SNAP food stamps, at the grocery store or the farmers market. sunchoke. potato. basil and cilantro and mint. squash. beans. tomatoes. garlic and onion.

the garden has a fire pit and seating.