They were lined up alphabetically.
Angelica next to Anise,
Ending with Thyme and Turmeric,
With all the rest in between.

The cupboard was full of them,
There must have been thirty-some.
Their labels came with instructions
That didn’t really help any one.

Each one came with a purpose:
The secret ingredient in a recipe
Meant to inspire and delight;
Maybe a new kind of therapy.

No one is cooking these days
Or paying the slightest bit of heed.
Neither noticed the warnings on the labels
With dates clearly printed for anyone to read.

We say variety is the spice of life
But we forget that’s just a small part.
The key is to season your lives regularly,
Paying special attention to each other’s hearts.

Go ahead and bring home some Basil or Cumin,
Or maybe a bit of Saffron or Grains of Paradise.
But give it a chance to flavor your essence
Before it reaches the end of its shelf life.