by Joan Leotta
From my grocery list
you might suspect
my heritage is Italian:
eggplant
red bell pepper
finocchio
artichokes
garlic
De Cecco pasta
When the checkout clerk
asks about the finocchio
I tell her it is called anise in her computer
Chicken wings, hot dogs and burgers,
will also have a place at our barbeque.
She smiles as she rings them up.
She and I often exchange recipes.
Eggplant will grace her
table as well, but flavored
with Indian spices.
My French-born neighbor will
steam her artichokes,
to serve with butter.
Although my heart pumps red sauce,
I love the joy of learning from
other groups whose families brought
seeds, recipes, ideas across oceans–
such sharing is for me, what makes
America great.
Joan Leotta plays with words on page and stage. She’s been published as essayist, poet, short story writer, novelist. She’s a two-time nominee for Pushcart and Best of the Net. Her poetry, essays, and stories have appeared in The Ekphrastic Review, The Lake, Ovunque Siamo, One Art, Gargoyle, and other journals. She’s taught in Northern Va Community College, Brunswick County Arts Council, North Dakota Humanities Program.
Her shows most often highlight her Italian heritage, food, family, and strong women and has been a guest on British (Tony Cranston’s program) and Italian radio (Radio Cavolo). Her new one-woman show is “Louisa May Alcott, Author, Nurse, traveler to Italy, and Writer”
January House Literary Journal 
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