Gumbo

Gumbo

Add heritage reaching back into the heart
of New Orleans and Vacherie, Louisiana.
Sprinkle in a longing for home and understanding
of how deep a tree root can dig into the Earth.
Bay leaves. Chicken breast. Tomato juice. Thyme.
Hold off on grandma's recipe. It was buried, too.
Fold in a Food Network variation that lacks
the scent of her kitchen and the seafood:
shrimp, crab, and Friday nights fasting.
Andouille sausage. Oregano. Onion. Garlic powder.
Okra. Onion. Chicken stock. Cayenne and black
pepper. Stir ingredients. Heat in a slow cooker
on low for 23 years. The gumbo pot can stay
in the cabinet with the rest of the unused
history. Serve over white rice and regret
that it took this long to prepare a dish that has been
slowly simmering in this family for ages.