I.                    Whatcha Need  
the river
3 pounds ground beef
the passing of the dead on the banks of what remains
4 Tbsp. minced garlic
a galloping sound
2 diced green peppers
the sound of a violin being shattered by a perfectionist on the verge of quitting
1 diced onion
the wind, humming half-drunkenly
1 16oz. can red kidney beans
the song of nuns calming children during a hurricane
1 beer
the four seasons
1 16oz. can pinto beans
a mouth full of vowels and air
6 bay leaves
every ache in your body
2 16oz. cans of corn
thee and thou and thy and the way all three make your tongue feel under your teeth
3 tsp. salt
Agamemnon’s last cry and the sound of his spear whistling in the Trojan wind
3 Tbsp. sugar
the long process of two people becoming a couple
1 Tbsp. chili powder
the words you need when you’re untethered from yourself
3 Tbsp. Dale’s seasoning sauce
the sound of that violinist trying again
2 15oz. cans diced tomatoes
the words that bring the world back when it’s floating away like a helium balloon
1 tsp. black pepper
waking up taking up too much space breaking up making up
1 8oz. can tomato sauce
the odor of the Library of Alexandria burning
2 Tbsp. vinegar
the prayer of a dying man, veiled in anagrams
3 serrano peppers
all of your sorrows  

II.                 Whatcha Do  
Begin with the river. Brown beef  and memories of the dead with garlic, green peppers, the heartsong of the near-shattered violinist, and onion. Love the world the way a horse’s spirit gallops in its body. Add the whistles of wind, the nunsong, the mouthfuls of air and vowels, the thee and the thy and the thou, the ache of human pangs, the spear shivering in midair, the long process of becoming a couple, the words you need to bring yourself back to yourself. Add Dale’s after draining grease.   Add heat and ingredients, starting with seasonings. Add the seasons. Sprinkle in sighs and songs, the sound of the violin trying again, the words you need to bring the world back to the world. Slowly bring to boil. Add beer and  beans, the tide, corn, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Add bay leaves and breakups followed by makeups. Put all of your sorrows into the anagrammed prayer and leave them there to simmer. Cook over med/low heat for two hours, stirring occasionally.