Inheritance

To do poor well,
take down granny’s
black skillet, its mettle
is keen with decades
of scrapple and cheek.

Take its heft in your wrist.
Mix fistfuls of onion
and greens with salt
and wilt them as the iron
ticks with heat. Then,

take cornmeal and eggs,
milk and oil and whisk.
Whisk until your batter
is smooth and your will
is as sturdy as johnnycake.

Image: Dan Meyers on Unsplash

Published: The Pierian, Issue 1.1, December 2022