The Significance of a Walnut
Lay its crinkled body in your palm,
assess its light weight:
look at its wrinkled tan like the skin
on an ancient face.
Study the dents, the curves,
the darker hollows:
ponder its conception
and development.
Prise the shell open
with the metal heart from California
that came in the bag -
there should be a satisfactory
crack
(recycle the halves with a matchstick
mast and paper sail to make
boats for the kids).
Marvel at the convoluted folds
and umber membranes within:
pluck the two raw sienna
sections gently out
(try to keep them whole).
Set them on a white plate
to show off their sclerotic brains
and draw attention
to the repetition
in nature's patterns. Bite. Crunch.
Taste the bitter edge, the wholesome
thickness, the crisp bits in your teeth
as they give up their goodness
to become you.
Page(s) 32
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