Recipe for Peace - Devreaux Baker

[Larry Robinson]

Recipe for Peace

Bare your feet, roll up your sleeves,
oil the immigrant’s bowl.
Open the doors and windows of your house,
invite in the neighbors, invite in strangers off the street. 
Roll out the dough, add the spices for a good live, cardamom and soul, cumin and tears.
Store in sesame and sorrow, a dash of salt
pink as new hope.
Rub marjoram and thyme, lemon grass and holy basil on your fingers and pat the dough.
Bless the table, bless the bread,
bless your hands and feet,
bless the neighbors and strangers
off the street.
Bake the bread for a century or more
on a moderate heat
under the olive trees in your backyard
or on the sun-filled stones of Syria,
in the white rocks of Beirut
or behind the walls of Jerusalem.
In the mountains of Afghanistan
and in the skyscrapers of New York
feast with all the migrant tongues
until your mouth understand
the taste of many different homes
and your belly is full so you fall asleep
cradled in the skirts of the world
curled in the lap of peace.

	- Devreaux Baker