It Is One of Those Dinners
it is one of those dinners
leaning in the doorway, she is working
to her, this is a simple one
spaghetti ala Carbonara
she explains it to me as she processes
pancetta is meat from pork belly
salt-cured in black pepper, other spices
made with egg, hard cheese
prefers to use the spaghetti noodles
altho other kinds of pasta are used
you may also use guanciale for pancetta
she fluctuates between Pecorino, Romano
for her hard cheese
before her, i also varied my cheeses
white and yellow American cheese
which soon disappeared in our marriage
leaning in the doorway
i am enthralled still as i watch her
years have only increased my ardor
and i do listen to her every word
upon the plate, it appears
garnishes with a grating of Parmigiano-Reggiano
topped with parsley
bread smothered in garlic, cheese liberally sprinkled
salad of spinach, kale, arugula, topped with
cherry tomatoes, black olives, her own dressing
sworn to silence about the dressing ingredients
at dinner, she explains the eggs
they feed the chickens marigolds to add yellow
the creamy is obtained by correctly emulsifying
eggs, cheese
using some of the water used for the pasta
i have heard every word
never taking my eyes off of her
now you may ask, hasn't she said this before
i will tell you, i heard every word
this is the woman
to whom i was reading poetry
on a park bench, a ritual in our lives
where love walked us to the aisle
praying Cupid would grant my wishes
unleash a quiver of arrows
suddenly streets were amok
full of beggars upon horses
she reached over and closed the book
then said, shut up and kiss me
my patience is at wit's end
love is mysterious in its ways
it is inside humor we share
over a plate of spaghetti ala Carbonara
outside the world dances in its din
the furnaces of stars churn away
and not once have the marigolds
at this table produced nostalgia
for my yellow American cheese
i have heard her every word
it has kept me on my toes
that life never presents her
at wit's end
3/5/19 Kismet
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