Monday, October 21, 2013

On the First Cold Day, Everyone Makes Chili

On the First Cold Day, Everyone Makes Chili

As you tug a produce bag,
thinner than skin, from the roll

for the red bell pepper,
and pluck a twist tie

from the stand, you see it:
your future, you

in the kitchen tonight,
opening cans of black beans

and kidney beans to empty into the pot,
the chili finished two hours later.

The grocery store sees it, too.
Chili ingredients are stacked near the beer:

tomatoes, beans, round crackers.
Fewer choices than we think,

you know, and this is a gift.
Let the ingredients suggest

the meal, and the season
will suggest the ingredients,

and in this way
we can observe the benevolence

of the universe, the can
of diced tomatoes

that had been grown
last year in soil

you will never stand on,
the pain in the farmer’s

grandfather’s heart prodding him 
to buy some peaceful land.

4 comments

  1. Oh, so true, so true! The chili, the land, the path making! I love how this turns at the end, but is always where we were going!

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  2. Out of the ordinary, the profound. I know I say that a lot about your poems but it's true. I, too, love how this poem turns in those last couplets.

    Gaffney has some lovely work on his site.

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  3. I laughed at the title because it is so true and the body of the poem is so incredibly beautiful...still smiling though because that is a true process...I only make my meal planning in the store when I see various things grouped together : )

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  4. hey nice post meh, You are one of the best writers I've seen of recent. I love your style of blogging here. this post reminds me of an equally interesting post that I read some time ago on Daniel Uyi's blog: Success With Dating Women .
    keep up the good work friend. I will be back to read more of your posts.

    Regards

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