Getting Ready to Bake Cookies...

A-Poem-a-Day Until Christmas

Photo credit: humblecrumble.com

A NEW RECIPE

I flip through a cookbook

and select, as I sometimes do

a recipe I’ve never tried before—

a cookie, full of aromatic spices

cinnamon, nutmeg, clove

even a pinch of pepper

I stir some dark, robust molasses

and the spices into flour

butter and sugar

then roll teaspoonsful

of the thick brown batter into balls

line them neatly in rows

on cookie sheets

and slip them in the oven

Gradually the kitchen

fills with an old, familiar fragrance

I can’t immediately identify

In a few minutes, I remove a pan

from the oven, wait for the cookies to cool

then roll each one in powdered sugar

as the recipe indicates

One taste

transports me to childhood—

This is pfeffernusse!

that classic Christmas cookie

that spicy little gem I hated

the cookies that turned to rocks

clunkers at the bottom of the cookie jar

These were the cookies Mom offered

when there was no other sweet in the house

the ones that bobbed in her coffee cup

dripping as she ate them with a spoon

Today, all those mingled spices

the dash of black pepper

are pleasingly hot upon my tongue

the sweet sugar coating

the pungent aroma

are positive proof

the taste buds of my youth

have definitely

grown up

Maude Carolan Pych

***ANNOUNCEMENT***

I'm excited to announce that I'll be reading some of my Christmas poetry at two events in December. If you are available, I hope you'll attend.

The first is the Holiday Reading, Thursday, December 1st, 7 p.m., at Montclair Public Library Auditorium, 50 South Fullerton Avenue, Montclair, NJ. Other featured poets are Susan Lembo Balik, R. Bremner, D.M. Dutcher, Frank Niccoletti, Elizabeth Marchitti, Ken Ronkowitz and Bob Rosenbloom. An open reading will follow. This event is hosted by Laura Boss and Maria Mazziotti Gillan.

The second event will take place Saturday, December 17th, 7 p.m., at the ANT Bookstore & Cafe, 345 Clifton Avenue, Clifton, NJ. I will be joined by two poet/friends, Pastor EJ Emerson and Sister Jane Abeln, SMIC. Holiday music will be provided by Victoria Warne, Peter DiBella, Rikki Woods and Lidya Diaz. An open mic period will follow. Come, enjoy the festive atmosphere and Christmas cookies, too! James Gwyn and Victoria Warne host this monthly evening of poetry and music.