A MELON CHANGES ITS STRIPES

Don’t you just hate it when a plan doesn’t come together?

THE IMPOSTER

A cousin bicycled home from the farm
with a watermelon atop her handlebars
Chilled on ice on that sweltering day,
the striped Green Giant was irresistible
We dove into the crisp, sugary wedges,
wearing the rinds like ear-to-ear smiles

Hungry for my sweet childhood memory,
I sowed a melon patch around the patio,
cheering as the little shoots broke ground
and morphed into massive, curly vines.
Leaves unfurled into a wide shady canopy,
shielding fragile blossoms from the sun

Just ONE tiny fruit emerged…  Lavished
with water and attention, it matured into
a handsome celery-and-emerald specimen
Late in the summer, a thump on its flank
produced a deep, resonant vibration that
passed our homespun test for ripeness

That night, we dined at the picnic table,
char-grilled burgers and corn-on-the-cob,
while our dessert chilled on ice in the sink
Then (drum roll, please) we split it open,
only to encounter the pale orange flesh
of disappointment: an overgrown squash

Now, if you’re the type who loves it when a plan comes together, check out my favorite uplifting melon story, Fruits of Desire by Mike Madison.

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