noodles

an unusual place richlands virginia
to be chewing on chicken lo mein
slightly askew wooden chopsticks
scooping squeezing curling
the moist loose noodles
scattered over our wet plates
right from the dishwasher
to the stack at the end of the buffet

we take our turn and fill up
with the sweet and sour options
before us
choices we each make
looking into each other’s eyes
without judgment
as slippery loops
passing between puckered lips
warm our insides

--- e b bortz

(published in Voices of a Wanderer, 1993)