Plump pears ripen
green to yellow,
crowding together in a
smooth, round, brown bowl
cheerful and mellow
on the black kitchen counter.
A very uncomplicated domestic activity prompted the painting that goes with this poem. I placed three pears in a bowl and put them on the kitchen counter. Having no intention to set up a still life, but struck by the beauty of the pears, their asymmetry, soft curves, and earthy colors, I decided to paint them. Soon after I finished the painting, the pears were eaten but I didn’t need the pears to write the poem. It was inspired by the painting. The progression from pear, to painting, to poem, informs me, again, how one creative pursuit often leads to another, even when the original catalyst is simply a humble piece of fruit.
