Photo by Mohammed Ali
Cakes
Joseph Mills
She says birthday cakes should be round,
like the years circling, like the wheel
of time and of life itself. She insists,
sheet cakes are bad luck, evil, wrong,
wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong.
They explain a sheet cake is easier to make,
particularly when baking with young kids–
there have been so many past disasters–
plus you can cut it into a lot more pieces.
She shakes her head, ease and options being
terrible criteria for something this important.
Years ago, someone had shown her a photo
of a drive-through wedding chapel at Vegas,
and she has heard you now can even confess
online. It has become a world of sheet cakes.
They listen patiently–this too being a part
of the ritual–then ask if she wants a piece.
“Of course I do,” she says, “A big one please.”
Joseph Mills
She says birthday cakes should be round,
like the years circling, like the wheel
of time and of life itself. She insists,
sheet cakes are bad luck, evil, wrong,
wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong.
They explain a sheet cake is easier to make,
particularly when baking with young kids–
there have been so many past disasters–
plus you can cut it into a lot more pieces.
She shakes her head, ease and options being
terrible criteria for something this important.
Years ago, someone had shown her a photo
of a drive-through wedding chapel at Vegas,
and she has heard you now can even confess
online. It has become a world of sheet cakes.
They listen patiently–this too being a part
of the ritual–then ask if she wants a piece.
“Of course I do,” she says, “A big one please.”