A seed somewhere in the resin,
intercrown spacing,
random walk.
How then does
habit match occasion—
Scrounging [for] happy waters,
storks plant their hallux
in the heath,
& I contend
with what's left;—
derelict bow,
sparse trees.
Scrounging [for], by Cory Steel-O'Meara
Cory Steel-O'Meara is an aspiring poet from Ottawa, Ontario. Their poems have been published in PACE, Glowworm, Headline Poetry & Press, Nymphs, Showbear Family Circus, and deathcap. Their poetry revolves around the act of seeing, that instant connection between eye and light, and how our subjectivity interprets these images into personal themes. Cory's writing and artwork can be found at https://dementia7.tumblr.com/.
Updated: Feb 3, 2021
You move your finger
across the Fiadone recipe you teach me
and this is our version of swearing on a Bible
Your free hand is always moving too
It hands me the measuring cups
or motions towards the ingredients
“Easter cheese,
ricotta,
the zest of three lemons,
sugar to your liking--
But put a half-cup;
I always put a half-cup”
You turn a zesty cheese pie
into an early inheritance
You teach me the stuffing,
and you teach Cristina
how to make the crust
As if you are writing your epilogue
as a recipe
whose required skill set
has been cautiously delegated
to ensure that mimicking it
is always collaborative
Three fingers point to the recipe
and leave the huddle
careful not to flinch
at the fading penmanship
They roll or zest or measure
Our temporality will keep its distance
if we are busy
But when we don’t have our hands full,
we wait for the oven to beep
or for the pie to cool
And when dessert is on the table,
we wait for everyone to gather
before slicing into our family recipes
that we strain to keep relevant,
before you regift your pie cutter
to someone who will eat last
Fiadone, by Lucia De Luca.
As an English teacher and emerging spoken word artist, Lucia (Lu-chi-a) De Luca plays with stories in the classroom and on the mic. Her storytelling often nods to past versions of herself or centers around family and her Italian heritage. You can find more of her work published to the TEDx and Bankstown Poetry Slam YouTube channels, and in Baby Teeth Journal and Yolk Literary Journal.
IG: @luciadeluca96
Website: luciadeluca.com
LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/luciadeluca
More time. Less space.
More walking. Less rushing.
More reading and writing and snacking.
More chocolate. Less cheese.
More staying. Less going.
Less visiting and travelling and adventuring.
More Zooming. Less meeting.
More yoga. Less yoga.
More stress. Less stress.
More repetition. Less variation.
More time. Less time with friends.
Fewer interactions. Fewer distractions.
More wasted time.
More making. Less makeup.
More hair. More grey. More weight. Fewer thongs.
More board games and pet cuddles.
More music and mail.
More daylight.
More rest.
More money. Less money.
More ideas. Fewer excuses.
More creativity, positivity, authenticity.
More perspective. Less judgement.
More death. Fewer funerals.
The world goes on
More or less.
"More or Less" by S. Hawn.