On Writing

Poem 7 – Green Beans

Green beans

Yesterday I washed the green beans
Cut off the stem-heavy ends 
Heated the oil
Sautéed the garlic
Dropped in the parsley
Loaded the beans in the pot
Threw in a chunk of butter
(for my thighs)
Put the lid on the pot

Yesterday I burned the green beans
The smoke detector started singing
At quarter past three alarming me
Away from the forest of poetry 
In which I’d been playing
The smoke-filled kitchen
Shook its walls at my error
I coughed as my throat 
Caught the char in the air
A thick layer of tar-black 
Beans sizzled in sadness

Later I checked Twitter
On a tired curiosity 
Saw CNN’s live updates
At quarter past three –
Chanting mace-streams gun shots
Another pot heated to burning

This morning the house 
Reeks of loss

4 thoughts on “Poem 7 – Green Beans

  1. love this Vanessa! I want some of those beans…

    xoxo

    having my therapy session now… will call later this afternoon. all is well. xoxo

    On Thu, 7 Jan 2021 at 11:36, VANESSA SHIELDS, writer wrote:

    > Vanessa Shields posted: ” Green beans Yesterday I washed the green > beansCut off the stem-heavy ends Heated the oilSautéed the garlicDropped in > the parsleyLoaded the beans in the potThrew in a chunk of butter(for my > thighs)Put the lid on the pot Yesterday I burned the green ” >

    Like

  2. Awesome V! Love how you tied the bean burning in with the horror of what happened in Washington! 💚🖤

    Sent from my iPad

    >

    Like

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