Long after their husbands—lawyers, captains
of industry—well, lieutenants—a small
town—MD’s, CPA’s—die, these cockaignes,
measures, charts through culinary pifalls
will survive. Recipes, a word like antiques
to incite the female psyche—male, too—
the world’s! Food! Thangs! "These thy gifts and creatures
of bread and wine," the priest intones, mass, Jew,
Gentile for once in tune, thanking God
for rain, sun, skies that open and close, cry
ingredients to life from beguiled sod,
unpaid sea. "Fool-proof Hollandaise," "Silk pie,"
"Aunt Maude’s ever rising souflés," "Hard, fast
rolls for yeast," these, those, the fortunes that last.