My Sister, Who Died Young, Takes Up the Task - Jon Pineda

[aimlesswanderer.livejournal.com]

My Sister, Who Died Young, Takes Up the Task
by Jon Pineda

A basket of apples brown in our kitchen,
their warm scent is the scent of ripening,

and my sister, entering the room quietly,
takes a seat at the table, takes up the task

of peeling slowly away the blemished skins,
even half-rotten ones are salvaged carefully.

She makes sure to carve out the mealy flesh.
For this, I am grateful. I explain, this elegy

would love to save everything. She smiles at me,
and before long, the empty bowl she uses fills,

domed with thin slices she brushes into
the mouth of a steaming pot on the stove.

What can I do? I ask finally. Nothing,
she says, let me finish this one thing alone.

Comments

[concinne.livejournal.com]

I glanced over this, liked it. Then corrected a terrible habit and read the title. It shifted for me so nicely.

[missparker.livejournal.com]

this one always hits me where it hurts.

[writtenbyhand.livejournal.com]

Oh my God.

[meiousei.livejournal.com]

I've always loved this poem. Thanks for posting it.

[aimlesswanderer.livejournal.com]

You are very welcome.

./w

[melodily.livejournal.com]

wow.