I was at my folks’ place over the weekend. Dogsitting, you know. I spent part of Sunday raking up and disposing of the trimmings of their Red Cherry Guava bushes in the back yard. My back is sore, but the truth is that it felt good to be out in the sunshine with a rake. In fact, I had better luck with it than I have with a fountain pen or a computer lately. So it goes.

Did you know that cherry guava berries are edible? I saw some of the berries there on the grass, having sifted through the cuttings, they were resting in the grass. I didn’t see them as food. Maybe it’s residual subconscious suggestion — when we were little, our Mom told us not to eat the berries. She was afraid they might be poisonous. To be fair, she gave us much better stuff to eat. We used to have grapes and homemade jelly makes the best PB&J.

The berries are edible. As are the oranges that hang above them, though the fruit of that tree is best for juice. The oranges from the tree in the corner, where the sun rises, are wonderful. Now that we have oranges sectioned on a plate and oranges juiced, I’ll make some

Toast

It’s time for breakfast, so I

make coffee and toast. A slice

for me and one for the dog.

I have a mug with a red barn on it,

and a radio with piano and guitars.

I break her slice into pieces

the size of my thumb. Her long

whiskers brush my hand

as she takes each bite, then watches

the plate and watches me.

If I hesitate, her eyes get bright and wet

with the grief of unbearable joy.

I leave her whiskers long and wild.

She needs them in the undergrowth,

to shield her face from rough guava

and lilac, to find the trail the cat has left.

One slice is enough for us.

We have the music

and we keep the pieces small.

Kyle Kimberlin

8/14/2001