December Journal Entry
Perhaps consider poetry
a gourmet grocery shop,
endless pyramids of
shape-shifting fruit:
persimmon, star flower, pomegranate –
and across the aisle
in hand-woven oval baskets:
Vietnamese coriander,
Thai basil, Chinese leaves.
Experiment without knowing
the exact region where
the pomegranate is grown
the pronunciation of the Chinese leaf.
But don’t set out to deceive
the check-out girl;
you can’t pretend that you’re
a kumquat or a chanterelle.
And get away with it.
Instead, practice rapture –
and inquisitiveness, pose
a question to the golden
beet, the artichoke heart;
engage with a yellow fin.
The page relies
on the clean attempt
to move beyond the safe way.
Where is the ineffable?
Bring home a mango
prepare it with Kosher salt.
—Susan Rich
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first published in 5 AM.