Frying Potatoes

At one time
I would have tossed
this day off

as being dull
and not worth
fooling with

but that was before
Mrs Malvita Poston
moved here to Rosewood

with her style of cooking
and contempt of diets

Today she is frying potatoes—
already they are burning
which is part of the ritual

She will rush to the stove
and make a fuss
over stirring them
then put the lid back on
and walk away
until the potatoes reach
charred perfection

Notes

McDaniel, Wilma. (2001) Borrowed Coats. Hanging Loose Press, Brooklyn, New York.
Courtesy University of California, Merced Library. Copyright owned by the Regents of the University of California.