A Taste Testament

Raspberry jam
     learn prep
            and experiment
 
Each breath tales
              trust inhales and doubt exhales
 
Let’s begin –
 
Strained stained fingertips
     apron and spoon
 
Rubies bubble briar blood
     simmer the tune
 
Muscles soar push and stir
     boil toil and confer
 
Steam rising anticipation foils
     sap water soils
 
Stains splash counter tops
     and pops
 
Sticky signatures memory
     of sein and rain
 
Of flame and flavor mallet
     pucker the palate
 
Wound the wrist
     lick the fist
 
marked me made me saved me
 
Pans and pots root
     swarm the stove
          press the fruit
 
cradle in jars
     and ladle too far
 
hot glass cools
              as fingertips burn
and yearn
              as fingertips fool
 
it’s a waiting game 
     lids and lips pop drop
          and seal
               tips dip and drop

the sound of success
     the mark of progress
 
12 hours pass 
           as the morning breaks
                            the kitchen takes
 
Rows of jars
      tinny ring and pars
 
dip the knife
     strike the jelly
          slakes the belly
 
jeweled gold
     at summer’s
          end
 
gruel the bone
     as fortune’s grown
 
this labor my love
     stain for need
          runs fire deep
 
a taste experiment
     a love testament
 
               Let’s repeat –