Poem published in From the Root, Spring 2017, issue 4 (Home).

Kitchen Pedagogy

In the kitchen she tells me stories
what it was like

Her narratives interrupted by life stuff –
the baby, the phone, her sub-stories
intermittent with her instructions
I am tunnel vision: pen. paper.

To record her hand’s memory
Of ratios for rich palettes
Of flavour for land left
Of hitting the spot with the taste of home
     for a daughter’s mourning and curiosity
          of a place she’s never been
     for remembering
     for joy

I hear her
I (can) make my/self