A Pot of Red Lentils
by Peter Pereira
simmers on the kitchen stove.
All afternoon dense kernels
surrender to the fertile
juices, their tender bellies
swelling with delight.
In the yard we plant
rhubarb, cauliflower, and artichokes,
cupping wet earth over tubers,
our labor the germ
of later sustenance and renewal.
Across the field the sound of a baby crying
as we carry in the last carrots,
whorls of butter lettuce,
a basket of red potatoes.
I want to remember us this way—
late September sun streaming through
the window, bread loaves and golden
bunches of grapes on the table,
spoonfuls of hot soup rising
to our lips, filling us
with what endures.
"A Pot of Red Lentils" by Peter Pereira, from Saying the World. © Copper Canyon Press, 2003.
Autumn, my favorite season, arrives at 10:49 this morning. Bright yellow mums have been purchased, the plates on my baker's rack have been changed, and soup ingredients are ready for the pot - chicken tortellini today. Happy Fall!
I want to live that life described by the poet!
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to have to print that our and post it in the kitchen. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteVery nice indeed!
ReplyDeleteLovely poem! I can't wait for the mums and the soups and the cooler weather. My favorite time of year!
ReplyDeleteOh, I liked this one! (And soup season...I like that, too!)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great and timely poem. Happy fall!
ReplyDeleteChicken tortellini? I am on my way over!
ReplyDeleteLike Jill, I'd like to climb right in there and be one with this poem. And I'm not a fan of lentils, but this kinda makes me wish I were.
ReplyDeleteLove this poem! One of my favorite poems is one called "Onions" by William Matthews and it's very similar to this "A Pot of Red Lentils" one.
ReplyDeleteBeth S. - That poem is wonderful! I just googled and read it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
DeleteThat is the perfect poem (and pot of lentils!) to ring in autumn :)
ReplyDeleteA poem about lentils! Who knew? Have a lovely autumn. We are heading into Spring here!
ReplyDeleteLove the poem and love lentils. What a perfect autumn welcome. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds quite yummy. Hope u are having a good weekend.
ReplyDeleteThat looks like a delicious and rich pot of goodie. Thanks for sharing... oh, not just this poem and photo, but CF's reading!
ReplyDeleteLove it--what a nice weekend cooking post! Enjoy your soup.
ReplyDeleteAwesome poem! I didn't know poems like this existed... I'll be having red lentil - cauliflower curry tonight btw. ;)
ReplyDeleteGnoe
Gnoe - Maybe you'll share the recipe in a future weekend cooking post? :-)
DeleteYou remind me to go look up a spicy red lentil stew bookmarked ages ago, a Bengali recipe. Thanks for nudging my memory.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely poem to share with us. Fall in your area of the country is beautiful, I miss all of the gorgeous colors.
ReplyDeletePerfect poem for the day -- thanks for sharing it!
ReplyDeleteJoy's Book Blog
Happy autumn, indeed! A pot of bean soup sounds delicious.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments, everyone. We enjoyed our first weekend of fall with a big pot of soup and apple picking.
ReplyDeleteNot a fan of lentils, but this is a great poem! I love this time of year and I'm ready to start baking some bread. Speaking of food, how about a recipe for your chicken tortellini soup? Please?
ReplyDeleteLes - My chicken tortellini soup is a short-cut recipe adapted from a Taste of Home magazine. Add 1/4 tsp onion powder, a dash of pepper, and some Italian seasoning to a carton of low sodium chicken broth and a carton of chicken stock. Bring to boil and add 9 oz. package of fresh cheese-filled tortellini. Cook according to package directions, then add 2-3 cups cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken makes it even easier) and a package of fresh baby spinach. Stir until spinach is wilted and serve topped with grated Italian cheese. I love slow-simmering soups, but this is ideal when you're pressed for time. It tastes even better the next day!
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