Strawberries Warm From The Suns Poem by gershon hepner

The taste of a strawberry warm from the sun
reminds me of you when I kiss
your lips that are hot before we have fun
adding cream that will blanche them with bliss.
The taste of a cantaloupe cold from the fridge
induces my tastebuds to tingle,
but I prefer strawberries, crossing the bridge
towards you, so we will not be single.

Inspired by a commencement speech given by Jessica Lange at Sarah Lawrence College, reported in the NYT, June 15,2008:
Be present. I would encourage you with all my heart — just to be present. Be present and open to the moment that is unfolding before you. Because, ultimately, your life is made up of moments. So don’t miss them by being lost in the past or anticipating the future. Don’t be absent from your own life. You will find that life is not governed by will or intention. It is ultimately the collection of these sense memories stored in our nerves, built up in our cells. Simple things: A certain slant of light coming through a window on a winter’s afternoon. The sound of spring peepers at twilight. The taste of a strawberry still warm from the sun. Your child’s laughter. Your mother’s voice. These are the things that shape our lives and settle into the fiber of our beings. Don’t take them for granted.


6/15/08