Poetry
Jerrice J. Baptiste

Photo Credit: Larry/Flickr (CC-by-nc-nd)

She’s on the hunt for the sweetest mango she’s ever eaten. In the late afternoon, Emile sits on the ground under the shade of her tree, after picking mangoes. A small pile is by her side. She delicately pinches the skin of each mango to loosen its juice. Emile makes a wish as she holds each one “Thank you for this fruit. I hope it is sweeter than the last.”

She smells the skin then carefully bites a small hole at the top of her chosen ripe mango. This is a sacred moment that goes back for many generations. Her grandmother has suckled many exotic fruits and showed her how to savor each. Emile’s fingers gently squeeze the mango as she sucks out more juice each time.

After the juice is done, Emile peels the mango and bites on any golden orange flesh left, then she slurps more mango juice dripping down her fingers. Each finger is licked as if it were a grooming ritual.

Jerrice is the author of eight books. She has also been published most recently in Kosmos Journal, Pivot, Breathe Free Press, The Write Launch and many more. Email: ellaninabillie[at]gmail.com