John Kaprielian
My Grandmother’s Hands
My grandmother’s hands
worked the dough
effortlessly
despite arthritis and
advanced age she
rolled and formed
flipped and buttered
cut and shaped
egged and seeded
over and over
building buttery books
of dough that
tortured us with
slow rising
and baking and
cooling
as we waited
drooling
for the first
katah
to be ready
to eat.
No one ever
made them better
no one
makes them now
though I try and try
but this was one
lesson she never
gave to me.
I still dream
of flaky layers
steaming
my fingers burning
just a little bit
holding the
too-hot snack
I snuck off the
rack.
John Kaprielian has been writing poetry on and off for over 30 years. A nature photographer and photo editor by occupation, he brings his keen eye for natural history to many of his poems, which often inspired by his observations. He studied creative writing at Cornell with the poet A.R. Ammons while getting his degree in Russian Linguistics. He has been published in Minute Magazine, The Blue Nib, Thema, Blue Mountain Review, What Rough Beast, and the New Verse News. He lives in Putnam County, NY, with his wife, teen son, and assorted pets.
My grandmother’s hands
worked the dough
effortlessly
despite arthritis and
advanced age she
rolled and formed
flipped and buttered
cut and shaped
egged and seeded
over and over
building buttery books
of dough that
tortured us with
slow rising
and baking and
cooling
as we waited
drooling
for the first
katah
to be ready
to eat.
No one ever
made them better
no one
makes them now
though I try and try
but this was one
lesson she never
gave to me.
I still dream
of flaky layers
steaming
my fingers burning
just a little bit
holding the
too-hot snack
I snuck off the
rack.
John Kaprielian has been writing poetry on and off for over 30 years. A nature photographer and photo editor by occupation, he brings his keen eye for natural history to many of his poems, which often inspired by his observations. He studied creative writing at Cornell with the poet A.R. Ammons while getting his degree in Russian Linguistics. He has been published in Minute Magazine, The Blue Nib, Thema, Blue Mountain Review, What Rough Beast, and the New Verse News. He lives in Putnam County, NY, with his wife, teen son, and assorted pets.