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MAMMA'S CINNAMON STRIPS

David E. Cowen


scraps of dough;
the unused cut of the rim of a pie;
mamma would reroll them in her hardened hands,
in the slight moment between the boiling of a pan
and the ringing of a timed bell.
she would flatten the new ball,
cut long thin ribbons,
lace them with butter, sugar and cinnamon,
lay them on a bent, blackened cookie sheet,
and let them rise in the heat of the oven.

katie and I would pace between the shuttling
of steaming niblets, cracked plates, spotted glasses,
a thick-coated frying pan sizzling with smells,
and watch the flavored dough come to life;
the butter bubbling on the crust.

mamma would shoo us away
from the blast of hot air
as the door creaked open.
she'd reach in with her stained washcloth,
lifting from the edge,
and set the sheet on a small pile of crumpled cloths,
waving off our naive fingers from the burning metal.

after the required time,
after tending to a demanding roast,
stirring a grumpy pot,
and consoling a whining kettle,
she would hand each of us two calico strips
on a white napkin;
her hands and brow soaked from the steam

we always ate too quickly;
unaware of the meaning of the ticking
of mamma's kitchen timer.



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