THE PROBLEM WITH CHICKPEAS by Pam Murray Winters
for Joyce Lionarons
The problem with chickpeas isn't
their mutability, their waxy-hard faces
turning soft in the rising embrace
of bubbles. They lay down their lives
to save a sentient protein, disembody
in the hymn of hummus. They have
many names: garbanzo, cicer, Indian pea,
chana, sanaga pappu. They were prayer beads
for Rumi, and their name, to him,
is hidden from us. Small imperfect
spheres, collapsing planets, transformative
clay: their problem is not the ways
they change. It is that they are
humble flesh, cheap in the can, and we cooks
expect so much from them.
Read more of Pam Murray Winter's poems in the Spring 2015 edition of the Delaware Poetry Review.
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The Delaware Poetry Review, or DePoetry.com, is an online compilation of amazing, contemporary poetry gathered by a group of erudite editors based in the Mid-Atlantic Region. This notable compilation of poetry has been available since 2007, publishing new editions about once a year.
Each edition features a variety of poets chosen by the editors. This blog features our published poets.
More new works from the Mid-Atlantic Region are available at DePoetry.com. For feedback, contact depoet@capegazette.com or go to facebook.com/delawarepoetryreview.
