Poetry About Dinner

Steam clouds the window above the sink. A spoon rests in the pot of lentils. Chairs scrape back as everyone arrives. The days small troubles pass with the bread. For one hour, no one eats alone. Dinner gathers the scattered house into a circle.

Look again from the quieter edge. A spoon rests in the pot of lentils. A smaller detail changes the whole scene. The days small troubles pass with the bread. Attention loosens the first easy answer. Dinner gathers the scattered house into a circle.

Steam clouds the window above the sink. Hours pass, but the image does not leave. Chairs scrape back as everyone arrives. It returns us to shared tables, cooking, appetite, conversation, family rituals, and the close of an ordinary day. For one hour, no one eats alone. The day continues with a more attentive heart.