Today’s Quickie

The most delicious fruit I ever tasted

is not judged on complexity or appearance.

It conjures up fond childhood memories

where sticky, sweet, yellow juice trickled down arms and dripped off elbows

as teeth trapped strings of mango,

filling my mouth with soft, succulent, flesh.

 

The sweetest juice comes from waiting

It needs no sweetening – whether artificial or pure

The sweetest juice yields the biggest reward

A juice I’d die for.

 

Thinking back to months of waiting for the perfect fruit

pleasure played over and over on the tip of my tongue.

Knowing once the season begun, I’d have more than I can bear.

 

Still, every year I’d try my best to outdo my selection skills,

ripe enough, but not too much – spoiled fruit bears stale, sour juice,

and even attracts flies.

 

The sweetest juice comes from waiting

It needs no sweetening – whether artificial or pure

The sweetest juice yields the biggest reward

A juice I’d die for.

 

So now as I think back to the days of frustrated waiting

for person and reason to be right,

I realize it was preparation.

 

We were growing 

emotionally and mentally ripe.

Picked during the perfect season for this life.

 

The sweetest juice comes from waiting

It needs no sweetening – whether artificial or pure

The sweetest juice yields the biggest reward

A juice I’d die for.

 

Copyright 2012 Natasha Ramsey ©

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED