First Taste by Annis Cassells The Cassells home-place cellar, earthen-floored, must-scented, raven-aired. Grandma Annie Cass-ells and ten-year-old me, we heave worn wooden doors, throw daylight underground, pick our way down brick slab steps, stand still, let our eyes adjust. She leads bound for thick, unpainted plank shelves jammed against an uneven patched wall. She reaches for a dusty jug amongst canned pickles, peaches, beets. She pours a half-pint jelly jar one-quarter full, “grape juice.” She savors A dark liquid sip “Ahhhhh.” She passes the almost-empty vessel to me. She cautions “Just a little now. Makes you feel warm inside.” She stretches knobby fingers for the rest as the jar leaves my lips. We ascend hugging peach and pickle jars Silent glances sealing our secret.
Annis Cassells is a poet, blogger, teacher, life coach, and a long-time member of Writers of Kern. She’s had stories and poems published in online and print journals and magazines. This spring Annis published her first book of poems, You Can’t Have It All. She’s currently working on her second collection.
What exquisite moments!! Always good to have a secret with a grandma!
Thank you, Diane. She was quite a woman. I remember having so much fun with her. xoA
I love this Annis! It’s beautiful and it brings back memories of my grandma in Germany.
Those special moments and memories are precious, Mary. I’m glad this poem could take you back. xoA <3
Love your memory…I felt like a mouse in the corner, taking in the room and watching the “secret”.
Thank you, Kathy. I love that image. xoA <3
Hi Annis,
Finally figured out how to read this. Loved it. hugs, Scottie