Man with Avocado by Vanessa Gabb

He eats an avocado
With salt and saves half
For her
Before long the avocado browns
This is how he knows
It has passed
Through his hands
He has halved it
And opened it
To the elements
She watches him
Hand her halves
He says listen
She says just let me be
Here just no
He says eat
They fray
In pieces
See how velvet
See how ripe
It is
She knows he is trying
For metaphor
She knows he is
Saying let us stop all this
Love me
I am here love me
Our beauty
Lies in our perishability
It is this
Short life
The death of it
That is supposed to move
See its impermanence
Is what is
If never to vanish
If never to fade away
What would the avocado be
But she misunderstands him
When he gives
Her the avocado to eat
She is not listening
He does not believe in designations
I am a simple man he says
See this
My mouth
My hands
An avocado
When you are hungry
I feed you