Spice Jars by Ion Corcos
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Ion Corcos has been published in Grey Sparrow Journal, Clear Poetry, Communion, The High Window and other journals. He is a Pushcart Prize nominee. Ion is a nature lover and a supporter of animal rights. He is currently travelling indefinitely with his partner, Lisa. Ion’s website is www.ioncorcos.wordpress.com and his Twitter is @IonCorcos.
Spice Jars
A shelf hangs on the wall, lined
with painted jars; a few scratched,
some more than others, designs
like the legs of old furniture
crowded in our lounge room,
painted blue, red, deep orange,
like the sun on a Greek island.
Each jar contains a different spice:
cumin, cinnamon, hot cayenne.
I don’t understand spice.
The jars stand in rows, distant
bottles at the back of an old pharmacy;
hidden from light so they can keep,
like my father’s old books.
Like the paintings hanging on our walls -
Dutch nudes, Spanish distortions,
elegant women -
inside each jar is a mystery,
an unspoken life.