if people were made of bread,
we'd be soggy in the middle
blood and life matter sodden
the glutanimated structure within us all.
With a firm, retaining exterior
as our skin, our protector, hardens
callouses in exposure to heat, oxygen
and the existential experiential
But, we're not made of bread, people
we're made of stoicism and fragility in equal measures
frailty and grit, resilience and acceptance
to toughen our structure,
we need to first soften ourselves
work the dough of our humanity, of our spirit, with care
kneading, stretching and testing our strength of character
the physiological and psychological,
rested to allow growth and maturation
for our leaven to work, undisturbed, unperturbed
adding water for fluidity
our words, our taste, our pleasure, the paste, seasoned
with salt, and oil the balm of human empathy, kindness
we are more than the bread
the bread we break with friends, enemies
more than a piece or peace offering
we are complicated, but simple
and while the recipe is the same, our ingredients are unique
*
Thanks for reading!
Author's Notes: Stream came to me, thinking about if people were bread. I started singing a few lines and then the rest flowed.
If you are interested and don't mind checking out the badlands (and have a Medium account), I'd appreciate if you read two pieces I've published there this week through the publication Scuzzbucket. They are only available on Medium. If that serves as any motivator. Thank you.
About the Creator
Paul Stewart
Award-Winning Writer, Poet, Scottish-Italian, Subversive.
The Accidental Poet - Poetry Collection out now!
Streams and Scratches in My Mind coming soon!
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Thoughts on Vocal and the way the world is
"Death cannot stop true love, only delay it." – Wesley in The Princess Bride. I decided to come back to Vocal on a very cold and dark night at the end of December. I had been, and still am, convalescing from a horrible staph infection that had gone misdiagnosed for months. This, paired with the increasing challenges of being healthy, making the best choices for my co-parented child, being a wife, and being a director at a new job, was a lot to manage.
By Jazzy 4 days ago in Confessions
Comments (17)
Well-wrought! Some of us are banana nuts who don't know rye, it's true, but there's a plate for each of us at the table... though now I wonder, with some concern, who will be dining...
I wonder if people were bread who'd be eating them. Sorry for the macabre, but that's where my absurdist mind mind goes when I encounter the surreal and absurd. Great free verse, Paul, especially because it does center on our humanity.
Loved the analogy! Especially enjoyed the line “work the dough of our humanity, of our spirit, with care”. Now I’m hungry for some good bread…
I think I would be sour doh
Love your work, Paul; you are always so imaginative.
This was brilliant! Your line about us being equally stoic and fragile hit me hard in particular, because how true is that? Beautiful and profound, Paul!
Is this why I'm so kneady? (Not to mention doughy.)
Oh wow Sir Paul, this was so deep. When I read your title, the first thing that came to my mind was "I'd eat them". So I thought this was gonna be a funny poem. Boy was I wrong, lol. Loved this profound poem!
Like bread, people harden with time.
It seems to have the recipe down pat!! Love this Paul!! I can't wait for Dharr to read the sone and say something about how you made eating/ baking humans sound good! 🤣
All in the baker's hands. Love this thought: "and while the recipe is the same, our ingredients are unique <3
Paul I am actually making bread today, how am I to look at the dough now? This is a great comparrison to life.
I loved this analogy :) Wonderful thoughts from you.
If I were bread, I would be multi-grain. I also have an account on medium and wonder if you could check it out. Some of the pieces there are also here on Vocal. Good job on this piece of writing.
Owsome, Please Read Me Too
Thanks, I kneaded that!
I think I am made of bread, though. I’m fat and gooey and soft on the inside, but have a hard exterior nobody likes lol. Fantastic poem! Really enjoyed!