Issue 02
February 2016
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We all gotta eat
Last week I saw a brother shimmy a coconut tree with his bare hands and feet
I watched in awe and a dropped jaw
With a throbbing heart beat
Probably harder than his
Nothing sharpens the will
Like the quest of the next meal
We all gotta eat
Standing at the base of the tree he
Drops his head back
Lets the dreads fall back
He gets into his stance
Spits into his hands and rubs it in
Then begins the ascent
This brother is a tree hugger
Walking vertically and carefully
Sure of his steps because he must be
Assured of his death
If he doesn't trust himself
The day before I ate a coconut
Didn’t give a second thought to
The hardship of the harvest
Just then I lost him in the palms
Lost in my mind where the coconuts go
And where they come from
The spoils of bravery
For water, charcoal or oil?
The fibrous shells fell from high above
Hit the sand with a hollow thud
We all gotta eat
For some of us it's a feast
And for others it's a feat
Stephen Satterfield is a writer, poet and digital media producer. Over the last 13 years he's enjoyed a unique and diverse career in food and beverage, working as a sommelier, restaurant manager, urban gardener and activist. He is also the founder of Whetstone, a forthcoming magazine and web series on food origin and culture. Follow his musings and travels @isawstephen and see his portfolio of local food stories at www.nopalize.com.