melted

the fried rice from downtown

i'm absolutely, totally and completely

devoid

of energy, just for this time being

and yet

the taste of yellow fried rice from the shop

downtown

with the family that smiles with their eyes

and also

with their souls, you can taste the spices

within

their souls and their hearts, there's

cayenne

in the soup and in the laugh the daughter has

there's paprika

in the jokes the father throws into his pan

and there's love

in each and every dish, the best spice of them

all

so when i taste that yellow fried rice

from

the wonderful little shop downtown, i can only

smile

and remember that all is well.