Recipe

Preheat a skillet of love

Evenly coat the bottom with

a few drops of sweetness

Chop the following ingredients finely:

One clove of bitter experiences

1 cup of painful regrets

2 sprigs of sad memories

Sauté slowly for what

seems like an eternity

Add ½ cup of grace

and forgiveness

2 cups of positive visions

Simmer until gentle

In a separate pan

Place strips

of African stories to tell

and spicy poetry

Pour in generous portions

of family life, graduate school,

and trips to Senegal

Add finely chopped ingredients

for personality

Stir ingredients until they

blend into community

Place in the oven of life and

bake on a high flame of surrender

Remove from heat and let

Ingredients settle into character

Place on a plate and

Garnish with thinly sliced

integrity and faith

Serve with a glass of joy,

praise and devotion

—Dr. Patricia Williams Diaw

Reprinted from the book: Recipe: Thirty-Two Poems about Life

Dr. Patricia Williams Diaw is an educator and author of poetry and prose. She was a contributing author of Black Panther: Paradigm Shift or Not? published by Third World Press. Dr. Williams Diaw’s poetry has also been featured in 50BOLD.com, African Voices, and Essence Magazine. Recipe: Thirty-Two Poems about Life can be purchased on Lulu.com.