Yeast pillow
sailing
through the green
oregano air, floats
down into the bubbling
rumors of tomatoes,
the gossip
of basil and bay leaves,
stretches at the red
aromatic massage,
dreams in layers
of mozzarella, the black
oval dozings of olives
humming in the sun,
dough that naps
in the glow
of laughter,
round appetite,
cicular carpet
shrugging
at knives and forks,
tattles
in many tongues,
international traveler
riding red pepper cloud-currents,
cruising the seas,
rising
to grins
that pull the melted
cheese, queso, fromage, kaas, ser, keshi, ocha,
queijo, käse, panir, nailao, queixo,
formatge, brinzeu, cascaval, bú, formagio
from country
to country,
wrapping around us and
our gold floating globe.
"Ode to Pizza" by Pat Mora is reprinted
with permission from the publisher
of My Own True Name (Arte Público
Press, University of Houston, 2000).
|