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José Alcantara: Countertop

I run my hand along the surface 
and feel a smoothness like volcanic glass.
 
The granite comes all the way from India,
but when I look closely, I see nebulae. 
 
I see galaxies. I see little black suns 
orbited by little black planets,
 
and on the planets, deep black holes,
dug by broken black bodies. 
 
And I see the black bodies heaving black stones,
and the stones burnished in black blood,
 
and buffed by black bone 
to the smoothness of volcanic glass. 
 
And on the counter I lay bread, apples, cheese, 
green olives, and those little swords 
 
we use to stab the olives, so we can lift them 
to our mouths without dirtying our hands.

--

Copyright 2020 José Alcantara 
 
First appeared in Making Mirrors: Writing/Righting 
by and for Refugees 
Black Galaxy (granite countertop from Stonemason)

5 comments on “José Alcantara: Countertop

  1. absolutestone1
    August 28, 2020

    This is very good advice! Very honest and practical. I really enjoyed this post. POST POST. These tips can help a great post. Kitchen Countertops

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Eric Paul Shaffer
    July 28, 2020

    Well done, Tony. Excellent images and perfect last line.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Jose A Alcantara
      July 28, 2020

      Thanks, Eric. I guess you survived another hurricane.

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Barbara Huntington
    July 28, 2020

    Wow! Yes. This one hit me hard. Thank you

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Patricia A. Nugent
    July 28, 2020

    Made me swallow hard.

    Liked by 1 person

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