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Channel Esther: When We’re Passing Through
lawrencebush
August 24, 2014
by Esther Cohen
WHEN WE’RE PASSING THROUGH
one of those inconceivably beautiful
states, let’s say Maine, absolutely oh my god villages
maybe Brooklin, where EB White wrote
Charlotte’s Web and he gave the town
the best library that every existed
a state with small sweet wild
blueberries finally enough homemade ice cream
every single day blueberry pie with homemade ice cream
imagine that you are lucky enough to pass through because
you vacation because you are lucky and privileged you
have a job went to college you have a husband
he works too you have more than enough of everything
even more than that and you can’t help but wonder
as you drive through Maine a very poor state
a small container of absolutely perfect tomatoes in a farmers
market costs seven dollars the word organic
synonymous with holy nearly half the children in the state
don’t have enough to eat you wonder as you drive through
it is vacation you are in the light pink blur of vacation
you are happy because of all the ice cream you always wonder
how to connect the parts of life you wonder if there’s a way
there has to be a way for everyone to eat for everyone
to have wonderful tomatoes and
blueberry pie and all that ice cream
Esther Cohen’s books include God Is a Tree, Book Doctor, and Don’t Mind Me and Other Jewish Lies. She is the Jewish Currents arts and public events consultant.
WHEN WE’RE PASSING THROUGH
one of those inconceivably beautiful
states, let’s say Maine, absolutely oh my god villages
maybe Brooklin, where EB White wrote
Charlotte’s Web and he gave the town
the best library that every existed
a state with small sweet wild
blueberries finally enough homemade ice cream
every single day blueberry pie with homemade ice cream
imagine that you are lucky enough to pass through because
you vacation because you are lucky and privileged you
have a job went to college you have a husband
he works too you have more than enough of everything
even more than that and you can’t help but wonder
as you drive through Maine a very poor state
a small container of absolutely perfect tomatoes in a farmers
market costs seven dollars the word organic
synonymous with holy nearly half the children in the state
don’t have enough to eat you wonder as you drive through
it is vacation you are in the light pink blur of vacation
you are happy because of all the ice cream you always wonder
how to connect the parts of life you wonder if there’s a way
there has to be a way for everyone to eat for everyone
to have wonderful tomatoes and
blueberry pie and all that ice cream
Esther Cohen’s books include God Is a Tree, Book Doctor, and Don’t Mind Me and Other Jewish Lies. She is the Jewish Currents arts and public events consultant.
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