olive garden for the rich
--
my mother’s birthday always involved her cooking
pasta nel forno with her gravy that cooked
before and after catholic mass
pork and veal meatballs with fresh grated cheese
italian parsely grown in the front yard of our south jersey home
olive olive from the italian store where tom
waited on my parents- giving them the best meat and olives and bread
81 years today my mother does not remember
what goes in her gravy
her body has outlived her mind
olive garden is our first stop
my mother’s sister orders gluten free pasta
with a bottle of wine
telling stories of her trips around the world
gold and diamond necklace glimmers in the sunlight
while my mother pushes the plate of pasta towards me