Turmeric And Yorkies Poem by Liilia Talts Morrison

She spoke of turmeric and cheese
and cypress trees and yorkie dogs

She was a lonely woman
somewhat thin of build
I heard her family provided
the little apartment
far from where they lived

So the problem was not
where the next meal
would come from
or any fear
of homelessness or want

I saw her on the street one day
and oddly enough
since I barely knew her
she engaged me in conversation

She spoke of turmeric and cheese
and cypress trees and yorkie dogs

Her smile was bright and very white

I used to think her eccentric
but when she pulled out
a jar of turmeric
from her worn shopping cart
and told me
I had said it was healthy
I loved her very much
and no longer thought her odd

And all because she spoke of turmeric
and cheese
and cypress trees
and yorkie dogs.