Feb 2020
The scent fills my kitchen
Powerfully of garlic and cumin
Crockpot steaming as chili heats
With the aroma of coriander
Wafting to the neighbors
As the lamb begins to broil
The kitchen is awash
As the fragrance of yeast grows
sweet bread baking in the oven
Cinnamon and nutmeg
Dance a pirouette delectably
As apple pie cools
This kitchen is alive
The delights that we shared here
We made love once
It was on a cold night after dinner
Right there on that counter
Currently occupied by flour
This kitchen has grown cold
Only salt and pepper do remain
like sentinels to lost times
The microwave dings
It's all I use since you left
TV dinner turns to ash in my mouth
Powerfully of garlic and cumin
Crockpot steaming as chili heats
With the aroma of coriander
Wafting to the neighbors
As the lamb begins to broil
The kitchen is awash
As the fragrance of yeast grows
sweet bread baking in the oven
Cinnamon and nutmeg
Dance a pirouette delectably
As apple pie cools
This kitchen is alive
The delights that we shared here
We made love once
It was on a cold night after dinner
Right there on that counter
Currently occupied by flour
This kitchen has grown cold
Only salt and pepper do remain
like sentinels to lost times
The microwave dings
It's all I use since you left
TV dinner turns to ash in my mouth
One thing that is the most painful after losing someone is being reminded of them in activities that you used to love. Sometimes it's a growing feeling that slowly coalesces into something that makes you weep. Other times it hits you like a freight train out of nowhere. Sometimes we don't realize how integral to our daily lives and relationships something as simple and common as cooking can be. If you are going through this hold on strong. You'll get back to cooking soon. I hope you enjoy the poem.
