though no one said
this task you'd set upon
with borrowed help
in borrowed hours and days
determined to do this for us
one last time.
It was triumphant.
As ever.
Soft and moussey melting whiteness
snow inside only on our tongues
soft with crunch on top, exquisitely browning crystal edges
gone in one's mouth
gone to nothing
the taste of childhood
and treats
little meringues drying in the airing cupboard
sandwiched with cream
not-quite-too-sweet
they were like nothing else.
Lemon layered like fresh spring
the bite beneath the sweet
always my favourite
- and in the kitchen
salvage of skins and pips
squeezing soaking out the dregs of final flavour
an after-life of sorts
a frugal faith in the future
born in wartime
outliving that and you.
Finally and perfectly beneath the velvet luxury
beneath those strata of yellow bight and white
(colour of primrose may when you died)
prosaic pastry
perfectly reassuring
grounded and balancing
plain comfort.
All of a piece.
A simple richness
fragrantly redolent
childhood
family
carefulness.
We ate it without you while you rested in another room
close
far away and journeying
relishing flavours spoons scraping
laughing family trivialities
finding comfort around the gaping hole in our midst.
And now today who would have guessed at yet another goodbye
waiting in this other pastry case?
Waylaid
ambushed by a dessert
poleaxed by a pudding.
Savour.
Swallow.
the lump in my throat melts in sweet sharpness
I'd sooner never wash it down
not with anything
It will not last
It will linger
until the next time
CC BY-NC 2.0
9 comments:
This is absolutely beautiful...a tribute to...your grand mum??
Lovely.
hi jill. thanks. No, its my mum, who died too young in 2007. She's so much missed.
Wow, I will never look at a piece of lemon pie the same way after this.
Your mom would have loved it. I'm so sorry for your loss. I, too, lost my mom. It was many years ago and what I wouldn't give to see her pretty face. But you know.
Thanks too for your sweet comment on the interview. I appreciated you stopping in. :-)
My first visit to this blog, since you visited mine regarding Simple Things. This is probably not the blog you posted on, since it's obviously not often used by you. But it was a joy to read. I like your poetry very much. I'm a poet too, although lately my blog contains less of that and more about Haiti. This Lemon Meringue Pie poem is simply stunning. Emotionally, sensually stunning. Glad I came by to read it.
Chris
How very delicious to find a poem in praise of my favourite dessert.
Beat wishes, Cro.
A Good Recipe Lasts Forever X
My mother died in 2001. She wanted to live to see the new century and she did. Lemon meringue pie was her specialty. This really made me think of her, miss her...and miss her lemon meringue pie. Thanks for this.
So beautifully developed! Thank you.
a lovely poem -
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