Green Peas at Stake

In the Kitchen (Dew Drop 22)

In the Kitchen

In the kitchen, Mira
--my friend from India--
soaks tamarind,
balancing homesickness
with cooking and poetry.
Hard working, efficient,
she rises and falls again
like the dough or the pain
of searching for the best
paprika in the market, beating
the eggs and simmering her opinions.
Her cravings widen the dance
of my thoughts and send them
spiraling to other people like
my grandmother, aunts, women
from all over the globe who
distill memories in
cups, spoons, torte pans, gadgets,
Pyrex pans, non-stick roasters
that stick to recall as they
are towed to the island
in the middle of the kitchen.
They interpret recipes and
trying moments
they've allowed to marinate,
and I fluff up to take in
all their aches and memories,
tasting, trusting
the soft, wise voices
gifted with metaphor.