soft humming of the ceiling fan
for some mysterious reason
brings up memories of my grandmother
her kitchen always smelled of food
while the pantry hid some treasures

delicious translucent cheese
the kind that contains zero fat
the smell grows stronger
with more time in the open

there were healing herbs
collected in pristine meadows
dried on trays in the shade
used to heal ailments

we collected more herbs
than all of us could utilize
during the year so the rest
was obtained by a health store

in the pantry were also treats
one particular comes to mind
it was a juicy pink chewing gum
that did the biggest bubbles

it was right on the top shelf
so that we kids would not reach
we had to ask for it to get one
a measure to protect our teeth

my granny had some tricks
down her apron ‘sleeve’
she knew how to stop cough
with a help of a fatty onion

another delicatessen from
the seasonal kitchen of my nan
yellow apples from the garden
fermented in a sauerkraut crockpot

they still had a nice crunch
yet were full of the kraut juice
so sweet and sour flavored
perfect to bite into for a snack

granny also made her own pasta
dough rolled by hand
the sheets then dried
on tea towels on a sofa

when we came for xmas
the special folklore cookies
many shapes forms and tastes
all perfectly decorated to savor

xmas at nana also meant
there were mandarins
the fruit signaling arrival
of the winter season

and as the ceiling fan
now blows away the heat
these dusted memories
fly back to their former
location

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HERE IS THE AUDIO RECORDING OF THIS POEM ON SPOTIFY: