Bennett Sewell Art

There once was a young couple from Boyce who took up in a house with rotten joist.  They began their life together with old family recipes in new pots and pans. 

As the years passed, she always spoke to him whether he was there or not

            Of the meager house hold allowance

            Of rats and fleas

            Of missed children’s birthdays

            Of his ever roving eyes.

As the years passed, he always spoke to her

            Of how fortunate she was to have him

            Of her failure to manage the house and children

            Of her failure to make his bed properly

            Of her long curved yellow toenails.

As the years passed, she never spoke to him whether he was there or not

Of the vicious voices that circled endlessly in her head screaming the truth of her deserved lot

Of the dark despair that only the taxi delivered bottle could momentarily lift.

As the years passed, he never spoke to her

            Of his secret lair of pleasure where delicious fantasies became reality

            Of where deals were struck with an endless supply of the gullible.

As their soup of life simmered and the flesh fell from their bones,

It becomes easy to see that ‘you never know when you begin what you’ll get until you give it a go!’ even with old family recipes in new pots and pans.

 

Hattie’s Comments:

 

In my kitchen, when I use the same recipe for gumbo, it always comes out the same.  I feed Lucy’s children often.

 

Addendum:  Old Family Recipe

 

Keep on low heat and stir often.

 

Hers:

            Don’t let the neighbors know.

            Smile when they come over.

            It is my lot; I deserve it.

 

His:

            I’ve got what you want, let’s cut a deal.

            Smile when they come over.

            It is their lot; they deserve it.