she’s dill pickling,
my gran

so i watch her push one
into a jar space
i had not seen
saying,

‘there’s always room,’

& in my child’s head
i’m aware

i’m always loving someone
who’s loving someone else

then when i look again

she’s squeezed in
another cucumber.

first published at Hot Pot Magazine March 2^, 2023 edited by Emily Pedroza  https://hotpotmagazine.com/issue-two/