Sharing

Poet Trees

—Poetry by Dan Brook, San Francisco, CA
—Photos Courtesy of Dan Brook

 

 

SELF-ISH

I remember
when I was a little boy
and had big, big dreams
I wanted to be a garbage man
then a dentist
thinking those would be fun
(garbage still appeals to me)
my favorite color was yellow
then green
bright happy colors
(which I still enjoy)
now I’m retired from teaching
and I love purple the most
so many of my dreams
as well as my ideas, abilities, and much more
in addition to all my many cells
many times over
are new, different, evolving
when I was little
was it the same me?
who was I then
and who am I now?
I don’t know
but I know this:
we have become friends 

 

 

 

 Middle Eastern platter

CHEMICAL KISS

the kiss
of chemical burns
blinding an eye
scarring my life
touching me
not quite so tenderly
not as passionately
yet just as powerfully
as the first kiss from a girl
named Luann in preschool
love scars, too
in multiple unseen ways
painful stings
punctuate pure bliss
just as musical notes
pierce the silence
necessary to make melodies
I remember the sounds
surrounding me
as I was burned
as I was kissed
the sounds of memories
that no one else can hear

 

 

 

 Middle Eastern Food

THE RETURN

I leave
my bed and bedroom
then my home and neighborhood
seeing many strangers
a few acquaintances
and one old friend
from elementary school
we sit
green tea and almond horn for me
black coffee and prune pastry for him
reminiscences ensue
lost family members
mutual friends
fun shenanigans
a little laughter
times gone by
we are familiar with the script
then I depart
going back by bus
with my wooden cane
with less energy
my body aching
though my soul is soothed
from our monthly meeting
I come home  
an empty abode
my snugly cat long passed
I will join that illustrious club too
when it’s my time 

 

 

 

 Hummus and Pita

HUMMUS DIPLOMACY
 
cousins and neighbors
we laugh so easily
when we can
when not sharing
our modest dreams and frightful nightmares
as well as our fears, anxieties, problems  
when not crying, worrying, mourning    
we eat together
all sorts of things  
especially hummus
so often
dipping pita and veggies
scooping into our eager mouths
the hummus so smooth
thoroughly smashed chickpeas
with tahini, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice
salt and pepper
parsley and paprika on top
accidentally vegan
purposefully ours
for so many generations
so delicious, so healthy, so satisfying  
so Israeli, so Palestinian, so Middle Eastern
just like us
Jewish Israeli and Muslim Palestinian
also Christian, Buddhist, Druze, Bedouin, others
Middle Eastern to the core
and our friendship
sweet, deep, caring
our mutual love of hummus
and our love for each other
can help heal the world
as we and our families eat
remaining
cousins and neighbors
forever

__________________

Today’s LittleNip:

Food, in the end, in our own tradition, is something holy. It's not about nutrients and calories. It's about sharing. It's about honesty. It's about identity.

—Louise Fresco

__________________

Newcomer Dan Brook is Senior Lecturer Emeritus in the Department of Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences at San Jose State University. His most recent books are Harboring Happiness, Sweet Nothings, and Eating the Earth. See more about him at https://about.me/danbrook/. Welcome to the Kitchen, Dan, and don’t be a stranger!

__________________

—Medusa

 

 

 

 Dan Brook

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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