Baskin Cooper
Apple Butter Rolls
you start with four apples
peel them slowly, like remembering
no music, just the scrape of the knife
a spoon of sugar
two if the morning feels empty
stir until it looks like something you loved
add flour, even if your hands shake
add milk, even when it's gone sour
keep going, you always do
spread the butter, soft and brown
slowly wait for hope that rises
your heart holding for sweetness
bake until the house smells
like the past trying to come back
savor the ache of sweetness
that never stays for very long
Bio
Baskin Cooper is an award-winning poet, visual artist, and multidisciplinary creator based in Chatham County, North Carolina. A PhD in psychology who previously lived in Cork, Ireland, he explores folklore, lyricism, and personal history. His poems have appeared in Verse-Virtual, ONE ART: A Journal of Poetry, Ink & Oak Lit, and others.