September 2024
Author's Note: Here is a poem from Enormous Blue Umbrella forthcoming from Moon Tide Press. It is a companion piece to my essay in this issue of Verse-Virtual. Like most of my work, it is a paean to ordinary life.
Ribollita
I praise the way you save
stale bread left on the shelf too long,
rinds of Parmesan tough to grate,
old greens not crisp enough
for salad, but fine for soup
re-boiled from what’s on hand.
I love the way you salvage
bruised tomato, sprouting onion,
imperfect squash, laying no morsel
to mold, nothing to waste,
filling each space with aroma
of soup, saying supper, mangia!
come eat, come safely, come home.
Originally published in ONE ART
©2024 Donna Hilbert
Editor's Note: If this poem(s) moves you please consider writing to the author (email address above) to say what it is about the poem you like. Writing to the author is what builds the community at Verse Virtual. It is very important. -JL