Is the Problem Solved?
Our wide-bladed sterling flatware knives require balance and an unwavering hand. Grandma’s tremors left her embarrassed as green peas tumbled across the white drawnwork linen. I avoided serving peas to spare Grandma’s feelings, but gosh darn it, she loves ‘em. Thank heavens for ingenuity, invention, and the United States Patent Office. Thank my lucky stars for Desha Breckenridge and his Lexington Herald, all the blessings of advertisements. There, on page 3 of Sunday’s edition, The Safety Pea Knife for 25 cents. Funny lookin’ thing – a long slice removed from the knife blade the sides of the cut decked in scalloped edging. Grandma’s peas march right up her dinner knife, little green soldiers side by each. For now, this does the trick, but if Grandma’s tremors worsen we’ll be back to airborne vegetables. “What about puttin’ sorghum on the knife?” asks my son. Now there’s a thought — the wonders of engineering, but lordy, who wants green peas with syrup?
12 thoughts on "Is the Problem Solved?"
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Love this glimpse into the dining room, with all its love and concern.
Thank you!
Love this!
Where do I get one of those Safety Pea Knives? 😉
I FOUND ONE! It’s on eBay for$65. I also have a copy of an advertisement. 😉
A delicious poem! I feel like I’m sitting at the table with grandma! And learned something new–who knew that Safety Pea Knives even existed??
Thank you!
Echoing what others have said–but also I love that turn toward humor and the absurd at the end!
Thank you so much, Shaun! It’s amazing the inspiration we poets find in simply seeing an advertisement. LoL
Wow! I was so involved in this “journey.” Wonderful!
Thank you, Michele!
A wonderful prose-poem, full of invention and character(s)!
Thanks so much, Greg!