Grapefruit

Your task is
peel
and then taste it,
clean and sharp as pepper
the slow puckering      
like the flowing patterns of little rivers.

A half globe, as if by cupped hands
God descends,
sweet scent, bitter tongue

a handful of holy water.

                  

 

Cento Sources:  Kirill Medvedev, Brian Swann, Jill Bialosky, Craig Arnold, Katherine Soniat, Michael McClure, Mei-mei Berssenbrugge, Wendy Videlock, Fady Joudah, Roisin Kelly

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Patrice Boyer Claeys is the author of two poetry collections: The Machinery of Grace (Kelsay Books, 2020) and Lovely Daughter of the Shattering (Kelsay Books, 2019). Recent work appears or is forthcoming in Night Heron Barks, Burningword, Zone 3, Glassworks Magazine, Inflectionist Review, *82 Review, Pirene’s Fountain and Aeolian Harp Anthology 5. She was nominated for both Pushcart and Best of the Net prizes. Patrice lives in Chicago and can be found online at www.patriceboyerclaeys.com.