Summer’s Butter & Sugar

30th Anniversary Edition of Limestone: Art. Prose. Poetry. Limestone Journal, Department of English, University of Kentucky https://limestone.as.uky.edu/

I drove down route 9

past Stan’s vegetable stand

and Janet was under a tent awning

selling blueberries, raspberries

and corn, your favorite,

the first of the season.

We never have corn on July 4th,

too early,

but the warm spring changed things.

Without thinking,

I almost turned in -

remembering how you love summer corn -

but why buy it when you’re away?

Away, not gone, just away.

I drove on.

Thinking of the summer you and Joel

had the corn-eating contest,

you won, hands down,

no salt (maybe a little)

not much butter,

just corn, 6 ears.