My Mother's Kitchen

my mother's kitchen was not hers alone
she bore a large family and had the oldest girls
bake cherry pies and chocolate cakes
while she fixed huge meals

Once, I put a peanut butter sandwich
in the broiler, just to see if it would melt
when it started smoking
I ran and hid

I loved rolling out pizza dough
snitching tastes whenever I could
and the Italian smell of spaghetti
​still makes me hungry

the oven stands
against the far wall
surrounded by cupboards
I used to wash for fifty cents

the wall by the door has a mural of a windmill
and trees full of summer's green
which mimics the country view
outside the window

looking at the mural
I can almost see the children
climbing trees and playing tag
I listen to their happy laughter

my mother's kitchen was not hers alone
she shared it with the love of all
who passed through

Linda Fuchs
August 1, 2010