Fig Leaves
It was the leaves of the
fig
that covered them in their nakedness,
hiding the shame of their opened eyes.
So close they were, those
happy leaves,
to the source of pain and pleasure
to follow expulsion from the garden.
Perhaps it is thus why
the fig itself
—when opened—spreads to receive
the tongue that delights in exploration.
Luscious fruit, open to
willing mouths,
so full of transient solace, momentary bliss,
opening and closing to the curious.
that covered them in their nakedness,
hiding the shame of their opened eyes.
to the source of pain and pleasure
to follow expulsion from the garden.
—when opened—spreads to receive
the tongue that delights in exploration.
so full of transient solace, momentary bliss,
opening and closing to the curious.
white horseradish
chreyn,
on his gefilte fis
because it was strong
like the Limburger cheese
he spread on the large
oval slice of pumpernickel
he covered with heavy sweet cream
thick from the top of the tin milkcan
delivered at predawn to the grocery store
he opened at the crack of every morning.
Horseradish, after all, is just a weed
whose roots in the earth
you may, by chance,
spread as topsoil on your lawn.
It can grow through sand, asphalt—even cement.
It is strong in any form—red or white.
But chreyn is good on flanken and fish, especially on gefilte.
If he were still here,
you could ask my grandfather.
fell to earth,
cast out of the light
into supernal darkness,
some of his tainted blood
spilled upon the ground,
and, like dragon’s seed,
sprouted into peppers—
black & red & green
chili peppers, paprika,
but, most of all, jalapeños!
They spread on the winds
of khamsin, scirocco, mistral,
all over the equatorial lands,
providing fire with fire
to sere the tongue
like the seven deadly sins.
When you spice your meals,
oh, sinners of the world,
not only your mouth is burning!