From the Breakfast Nook

A heat stained surface top
      still warm from years of pots--
without the forethought of trivets
and hands racing across
     scribbling words and clear instructions
pencil point touching finish beneath.

A palm pressing gently
       mistakes, separations--
rising to meet their reflection
in lines, prints of a hand
        searching for a good history
that might talk of the fading woodgrain.

Setting clean syrup jars
       bundles of herbs, berries--
gracing an unwilling table
neither stately nor poor
        holding steady with memories
mismatched, overlapped, and warmly worn.