Nanay Leony
Garlic, ginger
Salt and pepper
Onions, of course
What Nanay Leony calls
A concoction to ward off
Dis-ease
She sings
An ancient tune
Sounding out the words under her breath
While stirring the pot
Of chicken broth
The aroma fills the kitchen
It floats over the sala
Out to the veranda
Where I sit watching the neighborhood kids play in the rain
The smell, the sounds
They find their way into my heart
She would call me
And I know it is time
To be healed
To be loved
And to live again for one more rainy day
While eating the flavors of earth and air
zarahG 8.31.21
