My mother says I’m lucky.
When she was sixty
her crows’ feet had spread
until it looked like crows
had walked all over her face.
"Your skin comes
from your father’s side of the family,"
she says, "the Italian side.
They don’t get wrinkles.
It’s all that olive oil.
"Look at your Aunt Rosa.
Her skin was so smooth
the mortician didn’t even need to use makeup,
but he did, of course,
they all do, heaven knows why.
Who wants to look like a madam
when they’re dead?
Don’t let them do it to me."
Ruth Bavetta
First published in Ilya’s Honey Spring 2004 and Nerve Cowboy Spring 2006.
So I'm not the only woman who worries about what the mortician will do to her face! I do cook with a lot of extra virgin olive oil, and eat avocados, which I've also heard is good to prevent wrinkles!
ReplyDeleteI don't have much hope because of my Scots-Irish genes. I do use olive oil in cooking but my fave foods are potatoes, whole wheat bread, and butter. :<)
DeleteThat is so funny... everything about this poem is wonderful. I can hear similar conversations from my own past.
ReplyDeleteI want to read more from this lady.
Isn't it delightful! I have a couple more of her poems that I plan to post sometime.
DeleteOh, I do hope your post more of Ruth Bavetta's poetry. I do not know her poetry, and now I want to. Reading Cold- Pressed Extra Virgin brings me back to my aunt's table, only with the Greek version.
ReplyDeleteThe most recent olive oil I bought is from Kalamata, Greece called Olympiana early harvest. :<)
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