An Online Magazine by Bay Area Writing Project Writers!
Soul Food Memories
©Jenny Zink Reames, 2008
It was always the same:
Mother darning,
complaining about the living
room light; me practicing the upright,
the metronome ticking;
and we waited in our ethnic desert,
impatiently, our stomachs growling,
waited in the dark past eight until my father
steered his rowdy pickup into the driveway,
annoying the neighbors,
shouting "Ich bin aher! "
his truck overloaded with Boyle Heights rye breads,
pumpernickels, kosher hot dogs, smoked fatty white fish,
their scales illuminating our tiny kitchen,
their paper wrappers leaking schmaltz;
and more --
treasures from Cantor's bakery on Melrose:
apple strudel, poppy seed humentashen,
and my favorite -- those Russian teacakes,
their layers exuding raspberry jam,
their chocolate covered sections
awaiting contact with our tongues,
you know, the way we savored Oreos,
but better.
Soon my fingers clutched the onion bagel,
over-loaded with lox and cream cheese,
and we -- momma, daddy, and me,
their only child -- a smiling trio, smacked our lips,
belched, tried to be pleasant
before our soul food pageant
ended ....
It would be years until I knew my father had a lady in Los Angeles.
©Ruby Bernstein, 2008
BAWP 1974. Ruby has retired at least three times, Spring ‘08 she is an adjunct at Laney College, Oakland.
How evocative your images are - a genuine moment of youthful joy in the midst of real life. I really enjoyed your poem, and thank you for sharing it.
--Daniel G. Kapler ( danthensyman@mindspring.com ) from USA on 4/23/2008; 6:31:20 PM
Type your comment here Hi, Ruby, Darling, how wonderful to see your name. Vicki Sievers sent me the digital pater site, and I love your poem. Maybe I'll submit one of these days. Love, Ed
--Name Ed Allen ( aedwardallen@gmail.com ) from usa on 4/4/2008; 10:55:27 AM
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Copyright 2008 Digital Paper
Copyright 2008 Digital Paper
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