Breakfast

As he scraped the remaining liquid yoke

from the center of his plate

he was reminded of Pasternak

how Stalin had crossed his name

off the list of those to be executed

Had he just executed the egg

that would have become

one of the greatest writers

of the 21^th century

perhaps not

but there was always a chance

that at least one chicken

would make history beyond itself

The beep suddenly shook him

a reminder that the bacon

was in a shallow pan

in the oven

that it had completed its

timed purpose to brown

the porkish candy

he so relished that he

closed all the curtains

in his home fearing

neighbors awakened by the smell

would peer through the windows

knock on the doors

storm the kitchen

and the baby in the stroller

rolls down the steps

a mother silently screaming

Barry G Wick