Sweet Potatoes

A poem by Santos Starkey

2023

Months--Poetry
Poetry

en-US

text

Starkey_Sweet Potatoes.jpg
Starkey_Sweet Potatoes.pdf

Copyright protected by Santo Starkey. Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce is required.

Note on transcription: This transcription may not reflect the poetic form established by the poet. Please refer to the PDF file of this poem available in the Files section for proper formatting.

Sweet Potatoes

The fifth step,
with a glass of water in my left hand,
the varies of dust made a form of message(s),
circling a whisper that came from the river.

I tried following the dust,
asking them if the river was close by,
but they laughed and disappeared,
silently, taking what I knew only to seem confused.

My knees became wobbly from the questioning,
to see the river,
I must know the rhythm of the message.

The tenth step,
left to the right,
I tripped on a pile of wondering,
covered with dirt,
my glass of water spilled.

With my face to the earth,
knowing that the drums are nearby,
A sweet scent appeared, touching my left nostril,
I remember this presence on a plate.

Discovering the path,
opening my eyes to be sitting at a table,
with an empty glass beside me,
my grandmother poured the cup with water, singing:
“River rum rum rum.”