Author Information
"Her Apple and His Orange"
by Jeph Johnson
When your apple
starts to overripen
we toss him in
the pie pile
in the pantry.
There are
so many varieties;
entire strains
we've created
solely for
this reason.
We don't even
judge him
like we used to,
before he can
be useful to us.
Both the apple
and the orange
are generally
edible fruit.
The orange
has thick skin
and her sweetness
is difficult to discern.
The longer she rests
on your shelf
the more wizened
and less desirable
she becomes.
One must go
underneath the surface
to savor her flavor
and taste her true essence.
Unless you
desire bitterness,
one must persistently
peel away her rind
with soft, gentle fingertips.
She slashes
the thin skin
of the apple
with a paring knife
and washes it
down the disposal
in a swirling spiral
of casual nonchalance.
On these special occasions
Grandma
bakes with a
tempting aroma
her warm, goey,
sugar-laden
confection.
But everyday
Grandpa
needs his glass
of freshly squeezed
vitamin C
for his eyes to open.
