Nectar
By Chantel C. Guidry

In the middle days of August
the artist brought us
watermelon —
garden ripe
and still chilly from refrigerator.

I cut it in the bathroom sink —
sharp steel blade
through crispy crunchy rind
and surprising yellow flesh.

The melon’s heart tasted of
just mown grass
and rain —
sweet and cold
against our tongues —
brief relief
at summer’s end.

We stood in the driveway gravel
and devoured the fruit.
With each delicious bite,
luscious sticky juice dripped
from my mouth
down my chin
off my hands
over my arms.
Hard to believe
something so wet
could grow in a drought.

We spit the abundant ebony seeds
into the dusty dry rocks
and hoped plants would take root,
grow magical
like Jack’s beanstalk.

Chantel C. Guidry lives in Lawrence. Poet’s Showcase features work by area poets. Submit your poetry via e-mail with a subject line of Poet’s Showcase to mpaget@ljworld.com or send typewritten (not handwritten) submissions to Mindie Paget, 645 N.H., Lawrence 66044, attn: Poet’s Showcase.