Sue Finch: a poem

Baking for Harvest

It started with a plain and simple loaf.

Next came a scored round

with a well baked crust,

then a twisted plait.

She changed from white flour to spelt

and back again;

bent to those who called for wholemeal

and those who wanted seeds on top.

It was always for sharing

she said,

but the tearing of it seemed to pull at her

and I saw tears in her eyes.

The best butter didn't seem to soften things

and though the offers of chutney and jam

were graciously accepted,

I sensed we were missing something.

The last time she came she left with her eyes

to the ground

and when I turned to look

there on the altar was her loaf:

an owl

its eyes wide

and its wings ready to spread.

Sue Finch’s debut collection, Magnifying Glass, was published in 2020. Her work has also appeared in a number of online magazines. She loves the coast, peculiar things and the scent of ice-cream freezers. You can often find her on Twitter here: @soopoftheday.