round plumpy orange creature
This author is a recipient
of the Sigma Tau Delta Award
Elena Vallejo
(she/her) was born and raised in the Quad Cities and is currently studying Early Childhood Education, Theatre, and Writing at St. Ambrose University. In addition to poetry, Elena writes for the SAU school newspaper, writes for LOVE Girls Magzine, is an editor for SAU’s Quercus, and has done some freelance work. She writes to bring to life the stories living inside her. Elena has previously been published in the 31st edition of Quercus, the Midwest Writing Center’s The Atlas: Volume 16, and the inaugural issue of Antipoetry Magazine.
SOCIALS
the first time i ever tried
it was in my great
grandma’s kitchen
the round plumpy orange
creature that she
always picked up from the
produce aisle and
brought straight back
to that old mexican fruit bowl
with a medicinal
type of love,
she grabs
a butter knife
she doesn't peel, but
rather prepares it
with one vertical
slice
there it sits planted
between my
fingers
without even a
plate for support
sugar is sprinkled on with
the most precision, right
across the juicy
vessels, each grain falls in
line
i spoonful smoothly, pluck
the insides and intake
the gutty ripeness–
it ferments itself on
tastebuds
bitter and soured
not crunchy but
squirty and slimy and fleshy
the gnats growing
covetous of
the pulped and raw
syrupy citrus
nutrient and plentiful with
maybe a couple pinches
too many of sweet
fruition–
take another bite
and then
some more
now
capsulized in the
body
all that’s left
is pitted skin
on the counter