A poem for the season

In January, a conference was held in New Orleans for all of the existing community cafes and those around the country planning to open to come together to exchange ideas and information.

Before lunch, this poem was read. It resonated with me then and I'm delighted to share it with you now.


A Pot of Red Lentils by Peter Pereira : The Poetry Foundation [poem] : Find Poems and Poets. Discover Poetry.

A Pot of Red Lentils

by Peter Pereira

simmers on the kitchen stove.

All afternoon dense kernels

surrender to the fertile

juices, their tender bellies

swelling with delight.

In the yard we plant

rhubarb, cauliflower, and artichokes,

cupping wet earth over tubers,

our labor the germ

of later sustenance and renewal.

Across the field the sound of a baby crying

as we carry in the last carrots,

whorls of butter lettuce,

a basket of red potatoes.

I want to remember us this way—

late September sun streaming through

the window, bread loaves and golden

bunches of grapes on the table,

spoonfuls of hot soup rising

to our lips, filling us

with what endures.