Pickling the Chilies

Credit: Lacey @ Thyme On My Side

for R.F. Brissenden in memory 

The last light slants
across the garden

the tops of the pines
are on fire noisy
 
with flights
of galahs

the walnut tree
is already bare
 
branching veins
against the sky

in the deepening shadows
of the kitchen
 
our morning's work
lined up in clean glass jars
 
jalapenos like polished
malachite
 
seed brought from Mexico
in some traveller's pocket
 
long slim cayenne
dark green and fiery red
 
would have given you
such simple pleasure
 
and later the long dinners
of hot Thai made with them
 
all day we have kept
on four loads of laundry
 
sheets and white napkins
from our Easter meal together
 
the pleasure of taking it down
of folding and storing
 
the chilies to be eaten
next year
 
though still beautiful
will be less only
 
some small faith
put down in jars
 
for the time
to come

~ Nicolette Stasko