Thursday, May 17, 2007

Dinner

by Lisa Alvarado

A mandala.
The wheel of life
on blue and yellow salad plates.
I arrange asparagus
spoke by spoke,
anointing them
with sacred oil;
extra virgin,
green
like my hope.
I want so much to please you.
So delicate; my effort
is excruciating.
I have never caressed a lover
as tenderly as I rub
thyme
rosemary
garlic
into the chicken
you will eat over conversation.
You will not think of me.
I am a whisper
a shadow.
Silently,
I slip in and out of rooms;
bearing gifts
you only see as a meal.
Dessert arrives.
Poached pears
blushing like a maiden;
surrounded
by sauces, candied flowers.
You say it is too pretty to eat.
But all I offer is consumable.
My skill
my craft,
all perishable;
to be created each day.
I am Sisyphus
loading the dishwasher,
only to do the same
tomorrow.


from THE HOUSE KEEPER'S DIARY (La Onda Negra Press)

performed for PALABRA PURA

at the California Clipper on May 16, 2007

Posted with permission of the author

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi -

If you know of any cuban-americans, can you send them my way? I am publishing a cuban-american issue next spring. Emma Trelles is editing it. You can google her.

Thank you,
Didi Menendez

Francisco Aragón said...

Hi Didi
Poets or Fiction writers, or both?
FA