Paula Cary lives and writes in Florida with her husband, Jeff, and their Hemingway cat, Truman. Her poems have appeared in Nerve Cowboy and Poiesis and she runs a poetry resource blog at http://poethound.blogspot.com
A Smile of Clams
You sift like a sleuth
For the perfect recipe,
The fresh white clams
Snug in their shells
While I wait for white wine
To chill.
You pull out the stock pot,
Pour in the wine,
Bring to a boil,
And season to perfection
Before gently tilting the clams in.
The simmering sweetness
Lifts the corners of our mouths
And brings a slow grin
to our shelled companions.
As we imagine the clams sliding,
Melting onto our tongues,
Miles Davis plays on the stereo--
You sway with me in the kitchen light,
The window blinds open for all to see
Our night of perfect harmony.