red Emerson Pereira

34
 Garret 2020
The Salep and the Spice

A woman She wipes away

in a burka the dew,
lifts her veil and is met
to taste by the fragrance
the salep of roses.
and the spice.
They whisper to her
To savor from the
orchids that unlikeliest of places.
bloomed in winter
when the veil So she lifts her veil
hid her frost-bitten once more,
cheeks from to taste the salep
the stinging wind. and the spice. Circles
Max Sproull
In spring, Oh,
she dreamt of Turkish Dondurma,
saffron. Syrian Booza,
Blossoms that Woman of the world.
reminded her of bruised
fingertips.
Clara Rabbani
Palms turned
upwards in the rain.

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