A Small Book Of Cacti

By: Jacqueline McGinnis-Feazle

Maiheunia, living alone on your mountain,

You will know your knife is sharp when it

Held between thumb and index fingers, dices

a whole white onion and

half an unripe pepper and

forgets it has cheese and

is joined in its madness and

separates Chollas, Opuntia, and

compensates with butter and

extra milk, coffee and

forgets it is bleeding and

sprouts areolas and

makes a tart pop when exiting skin and — and this is the true test of a sharp knife:

Can cut cleanly through a prickly pear,

As easily through a thumb knuckle and

Find You

Fruit in a desert

The sweet and flesh-red pith of time. Yes, this is the test of a truly sharp knife.

January 20th, 2018, nine days before the first smell of spring.