“Alphabet Soup” by Nettie Farris

238 Replies

Rhubarb. Rutabaga. Radicchio.
Radishes. Recently, you have restrained
yourself to foods beginning with the let-
er R. It began as a whim. Pink and
green ribs tinged with magenta (shouting from
the vegetable bin) fused with your love
of Carl Sandburg. Rosemary. Rarebit. With-
out your consent, it subtly became a
rule, affecting your verb choices. Relish.
Radiate. Resuscitate. You read, now,
only on the right side of the page, and
your affliction has spread to nouns. You call
your husband Robert. Robert is not a
real R, you think. (He is on his way out.)

-Nettie Farris

238 thoughts on ““Alphabet Soup” by Nettie Farris”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *