I think of him every time I peel an orange
I think of how he would sit across from me at the big table
and use his little knife to puncture the skin
then peel the rest away methodically, quiet
then he'd hand a slice to me, and have his own too
always pausing to have the whole slice
before going on and cutting another
we never spoke during this summer afternoon ritual
but I still remember so vividly how it felt to sit together
the sun pouring in through the window behind him
the slightly humid feeling, ceiling fan be damned,
of his big old house in early summer
and the absolute delight of biting into an orange slice
that he was always so ready to share
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"Summer Afternoon Ritual"
By Kat Augusto
MORE ABOUT KAT AUGUSTO
"Summer Afternoon Ritual is a poem inspired by my late grandfather, Eduino Costa. Growing up I spent much of my childhood in the home he shared with my grandmother, Norbina. This particular piece is inspired by the many summer afternoon snacks we shared. I have always admired my grandfather’s ability to pause and take his time to fully focus on whatever it was that he was doing, even if it was something as simple as peeling an orange. He taught me to savor the little things in life, a lesson I still carry with me to this day."
Kat Augusto is a writer from Acushnet Massachusetts. She has been writing for most of her life. Common themes in her work include human connection, generational trauma, motherhood, love, and loss. In 2024, she published her first book, “Magical Connection: A Collection of Poems.” Her work can also be found on Instagram, @kataugustowrites.