Tomatoes, by Joy Sullivan (2024)


I waited so long for                     love

and suddenly, here it                     is

standing in the garden, hands                     full

of heirlooms hot from the                      sun.



Soon we'll make a supper of                     them.

Salted slabs between slices of                     bread.

Your beard silvers. My hips                     ripen.

The mail piles                     up.



Phone calls go unanswered. Forgive                      us.

Our mouths are full of                     tomatoes.

We are so                      busy

being small and hungry and                     alive.