Happy Easter to those who celebrate it! Instead of writing an Easter-specific poem, I chose to finish a poem I had started a few days ago and spend more time enjoying the day.

This is my version of a persona poem, though I believe a true one would have a character using the first person “I” rather than talking to themselves with the second person “you.”

A Recipe for Quarantine

by Lauren Hallstrom

 

Find the brown sugar and all-purpose flour

that have been sitting in the back of the pantry for ages

and mix it together in your favorite mixing bowl

that still has the price tag on it

even though the inside is scraped and scratched.

 

Use the last egg and some butter

that you forgot to let sit out, so you stir

and stir and stir and

decide that this will be your indoor

arm work out because you could never

do a push-up anyway.

It’s your own fault you never put a stand mixer

on your wedding registry

because you were young and didn’t think about those things.

 

Find the two bananas you bought but knew

would just sit on the counter until they were practically moldy

and squash them

because a wire masher is something you did know to buy.

Let all the stress from existing within four walls

seep down your arm and into what you are making.

Forget to measure the baking powder and cinnamon and salt exactly

and just sprinkle them like the snow that still falls outside

for your own entertainment.

 

Let your toddler mix the rest and then fish out

the spoon he accidentally sneezed on

and pour the mixture into a loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until

you get tired of waiting.

 

Stare through the oven window the whole time,

watching the surface bubble with life

and reminding yourself that

the whole is just the sum of its parts.