Phil Canipe 

Fractio panis

First of all, it’s pronounced bruschetta

which you made with tarragon on the night we first met

It’s pronounced aperitif

which we mixed with maraschino and discovered our bodies

It’s pronounced coq au vin

a provincial dish from our first anniversary

It’s pronounced macaron

not macaroon although both make me think of the Seine

It’s pronounced croissant and baguette

and Café du Monde for those nights spent in NoLa

It’s pronounced foie gras

that hateful dish we left for the rats

It’s pronounced gruyère and gouda

and chèvre which you always craved while pregnant

It’s pronounced açaí

our morning routine as the kids run and play

It’s pronounced beef bourguignon

or bœuf, which I hope to discuss over warm Carménère

It’s pronounced cacio e pepe

which we’ll feed to the missionary seeking shelter

It’s pronounced hunger, he said

which is apropos to righteousness

It’s pronounced thirst

which is a kind of inheritance 

It’s pronounced weakness 

which is where power is made perfect 

It’s pronounced lonelinesswhich is commonplace on Sundays

It’s pronounced guilt

which is the thing felt on Sundays

It’s pronounced grief

which is a form of poverty 

It’s pronounced weary and heavy-laden

which is all of us

It’s pronounced sojourn

which is where you’ll find self-giving love

It’s pronounced homeless, or unhoused

whichever the case, pay attention:

It’s pronounced poor, said the missionary

For the poor shall be pronounced

Phil Canipe lives in Charleston, SC where he runs a small family business. His work can be found in Ekstasis, The Downtime Review, A Thin Slice of Anxiety, and others. Follow Phil @WatchPhilPost