baking bread
is not for the faint of heart
there is patience needed
time for the yeast to proof
and dough to rise,
the kneading and baking
You are hungry.
I make you bread.
your eyes follow me
preparing it
rocking gently back and forth
stretching, folding
over, and again
flouring the table boards
and pressing fingers
deeply into the dough
I tuck the loaves
into their pans to bake
and we wait
later I watch your teeth
as they sink into the browned crust
disappearing into your mouth
until you are full
and only then,
hallelujah, I whisper,
oh hallelujah