A Big Bowl of Beef Stew
- A Big Bowl of Beef Stew
Coffee tightened my throat—how much I missed him,but I could not say it, instead I said—
what I said, I do not remember.
A big bowl of beef stew steamed.He added pepper to every spoonful.
We picked up ginkgo and maple leaves
and I wanted him to say,"See you at dinner on Wednesday night."
The autumn was not so lonely, nor long of nights.
Past midnight, from the deepest forest,a deer walked on weathered leaves. [End Page 101]
Naoko Fujimoto was born and raised in Japan. Her recent publications are in Prairie Schooner, Hotel Amerika, RHINO, and many other journals. Her first chapbook, "Home, No Home", won the annual Oro Fino Chapbook Competition by Educe Press. Other short collections, "Silver Seasons of Heartache" and "Cochlea", will be published by Glass Lyre Press in May, 2017. Currently she is working on her graphic poetry collection, which will be published by Tupelo Press.
