The Kitchen Touch

[inspired by the prompt at Totally Optional Prompts. The short poem offered as the prompt inspired me to write something about the sense of touch.]



The Kitchen Touch

You can use a spoon
to toss two kinds of potatoes with oil
and with salt, pepper, and oregano
but it is faster
to turn the slices and smear them around
with your hands
although then you will have to wash them.

You can use a fork
to mix meatloaf,
mixing together the meat and egg
with the onions and seasoning
and matzo meal
but it is much faster
to mash it together evenly
with your hands
although then you will have to wash them.

You can use tongs
to toss a green salad
jumbling together the fragile leaves
with the chunky bits,
but it is just as fast
to gently mix it together
with your hands
although then you will have to wash them.

You can use a rubber spatula
to push cookies off a spoon
dropping them onto the cookie sheet
but there is nothing wrong
with using your hands
although then you will have to wash them.