"Who Put the Honey in Your Heart?"

Who put the honey in your heart? — from Storycatcher by Christina Baldwin.

Our writing group assignment last month was to ponder and write about Christina's wonderful question. This is what I came up with:

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My heart waited for the honey,
hopeful , like a wounded womb healing, preparing for an embryo;
or a robin’s nest slowly, patiently, twig by twig
being readied for new life to crack open
and fly

The honeycomb of my heart held cells empty and waiting,
or filled with debris and detritus of life

But the cells held strong, patient

And when the time was right --
the debris swept away
the hive heart clean and purified --

The swarm arrived
bringing pollen and nectar from many fields
rich with music, laughter, friends and lovers,
sisters now close and loving,
gardens, oaks and cedar trees

And there, finally,
with work and persistence
with care and attention:

Honey

golden
thick
sweet and sticky
viscous
warm
glowing
slow
transparent
sensual

Nourishing

Latte ceremony

(Written December 2005)

I treat myself to a latte
once a week

Fridays

It is a ceremony

It must be an atmosphere befitting
ritual and reverence
a place I can linger with my
cup and my thoughts

The cup must be ceramic
of a certain weight and heft
and with a handle big enough to fit three or four fingers through
No wimpy china and certainly,
no paper

I prefer the baristas who take care with my treasure
perhaps swirling the foam, forming a delicate leaf
or heart on top
I nod in gratitude, tip liberally

I take my latte and
maybe biscotti or a scone
sit in a corner
watch the steam curl from the cup


Timing is everything
Not too soon; singed tastebuds will miss the ecstasy

The first sip is a blessing

I do not read or talk
during the ceremony
I must drink slowly enough to
savor
every
sip
but not so slow that the liquid gold
cools to tepid before I finish

The last sip is a prayer

Sometimes I lick the foam that clings to the side
of the cup
before I return it to the counter

I push in my chair
pull on my coat
walk slowly out into another week