The Paddock Review

THE OLD CHEF II

 or

 Kitchen Aria

 

 

He points to the onions

with the tip of his knife.

They are so cruel

he says.

 

The scrim of his nails

holds the white globe 

fingers carefully retreating

as his blade approaches.

 

He could tell me—

his sous chef—

to do this task

but says he prefers

to stay in practice.

 

With no need 

to watch his hands—

this task so familiar—

he can look at me

while he slices or chops them

minces them with garlic and mushrooms

for the duxelles

or rough cuts them with carrots

to go with the prime rib.

 

But the years

can’t stem the streaming

tears that run

down his face.

 

Put on some Puccini

he says.

There’s no sense

wasting a good cry.

…..

This poem is from the chapbook CONSUMING by Charlotte McCaffrey (Finishing Line Press), and can be found at https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/consuming-by-charlotte-mccaffrey/