"Helping My Wife Get Supper," Al Purdy

[switchercat.livejournal.com]

Something basically satisfying real and valid
about being a husband
brandishing a knife and cutting
up soggy tomatoes
        not just red
but red all through
And there's something undeniably profound about
        being red all through
like a cavalry charge in the salad
But I could get indignant at this lettuce
for allowing itself to be sliced
by somebody's husband like so much dead meat
        not making a move
to defend itself just
lying there limply relying on being green
Not like the onion
        which is not defenseless
        for nobody makes friends with an onion
        except another one
        and then they don't trust each other
        like two skunks
And the carrot's such a bright orange orange
it ought to be more than just a carrot
which anyway is futile condition to be in
and it might be better not to be a carrot
if you could manage to get out of it
        be warned beforehand
you were liable to be somebody's husband
        but nobody ever is