Salt

It lies in our hands in crystals
too intricate to decipher
It goes into the skillet without being
given a second thought
It spills on the floor so fine we step all over it
We carry a pinch behind each eyeball
It breaks out on our foreheads
We store it inside our bodies in secret wineskins
At supper, we pass it around the table
talking of holidays and the sea.

"Love like Salt" ~ Lisel Mueller

Comments

Dinesh ^club

Salt is needed in small amounts for the healthy functioning of the human body -- which is why our palate craves it -- but a far greater quantity is used for preservation. Salted foods are protected in the same manner as preservers: concentrated briny fluids draw water out of the cells and hamper growth. Fresh meat can be effectively preserved by packing it in dry salt for several days, or keeping a submerged in a heavy brine solution -- about 180 grams of salt dissolved into every liter of water creates a brine solution roughly five times more concentrated than sea water. Salting has been crucial preservation technique throughout history. . . . Page 82

16 months ago. Edited 16 months ago.

Sign-in to write a comment.

		Page color
		Comments Panel
		Screen Margins
▼▲
		Widescreen

← Among Dinesh's photos

See also...

Verses Verses

Keywords

Authorizations, license

Salt

Ξ	Frame Options
3 - +