The Sand Hill Review          http://www.sandhillreview.org       2001 November

 

Peach Canning

 

Under the kitchen faucet,

my mother scrubs the fur,

pulls back the skin.

The fruit is picked before ripeness

takes its hold.

 

The knife my mother uses

is the knife her mother used,

and is kept sharp for me.

Meanwhile, men pass land

down to their sons.

 

My mother splits golden globes

into halves,   

pulls away the pit,

exposes the aching venous hole.

 

My father sits on a tree stump,

waits for a son to be born.

I'm in overalls

and boy's shoes,

poking a stick around in dirt.

 

We eat peaches all year long.

In jars the fetal curve of slices

float in a clear, thick soup.

A white glob of paraffin

seals off the air.

 

Lara Gularte