Hissy fits

Turtle hissy fits

We all

Have hissy fits.

Right now

It’s the turtle’s turn.

He is crashing his food plate

Against the glass

Of his tank.

Blueberries are usually

His food of choice

But clearly

Not today.

Today

Blueberries

Offer no satisfaction.

He stares at me

As if I can read

His mind.

Egg McMuffin

Rarely have I eaten something so...so right. I even bought two so my beloved might share the experience. I figure one Egg McMuffin every five years or so might be allowed.

It has been years

Since an Egg McMuffin

Passed my lips,

Entered the system

God made

A system which will now

Need to figure

What to do with it

The Egg McMuffin

In all of its particularity

The Egg McMuffin

Which demanded a companion

Egg McMuffin

Nestled in its yellow wrapping

In the white fast food bag

A companion Egg McMuffin

For my beloved.

Boxes

I remember, as a child, hearing about all the starving children in other parts of the world. It was a ploy to get me to eat my breakfast, my lunch, my dinner. It was a ploy to get me to appreciate what I had: the spinach, the runny eggs, the canned button mushrooms I picked out of every spaghetti sauce my mother made. I am done with ploys, but still admit I have a few of my own. My children are grown. Then there's still me, thinking it is possible to box up my own needs, send them, like breakfast, to the starving children in other parts of the world. No. It's a ploy.

I box what I need

For those in need

On the other side of the world.

It does not help

Either one of us.

Pomegranate

I read stories of all the food that makes Thanksgiving for people.  The food is rich and varied.  The only thing it all has in common is it is special.

Tomorrow

As families blend and morph

Into new versions

Of themselves,

More dishes will line the tables

At Thanksgiving.

A few years ago

I introduced pomegranate seeds

To a new crowd

Of unrelated people.

Since we were not in charge

Of the salad,

We served them as a garnish

For mashed sweet potatoes.

Years ago

My beloved*s introduction

To pomegranate seeds

Came

When he met my family

For the first time.

In his struggle to figure out

How to eat it a seed

My brother noted

He had dropped one

On his sweater.

This is now part

Of Thanksgiving

Pomegranate stories.

Other families share stories

Of cranberry salads.

Our stories often feature

Pomegranate seeds.

Thanksgiving requirements

There are requirements for Thanksgiving dinner.  Turkey... yes of course, though I understand there are many households which do not celebrate with turkey or cranberries in any form.  My daughter is vegetarian so we'll figure something with seitan for her.  Thanksgiving requires that there is something good for everyone, often involving memories of past Thanksgivings.  Usually it involves food... and lots of it.  My son will stay in Minnesota and celebrate up there.  He is also a fan of canned cranberry sauce with the ridges left in place.

We have figured the food

For Thursday. 

My beloved requires

Sweet potatoes mashed with orange juice.

I require pomegranate seeds and grapefruit

In the green salad.

Our daughter requires

Canned cranberry sauce

With the marks of the can

Left intact.

She also requires

That we eat at home this year.

Last year the refrigerator

Was in the living room.

We had no kitchen

To speak of

Then.

Now

We speak of it often.

A year*s time brings with it

A lot of change.

Still

Some things are required

To stay the same.