
I always overpour
Cook white rice with too much water
Fry the egg and burst its yolk
Never careful to check the size of the spout
Drown the meal in soy sauce
Am forced to drink tarter liquids
Cleanse my palette
Disappointment
Is still satisfying
It sits in your throat
Lets each favor absorb
Rewrites your composition
You become familiar with this recipe
Its weight
You tell yourself you will become practiced
At preparation
You’ll wash the rice
Butter the pan
Look
And look back again
You’ll perfect the meal
But then you will pour cumin in your oatmeal
And have to sit with a new spice
Ashley Robles is an artist currently residing in San Antonio, TX, a UT Austin alum, and is working to normalize chronic illness in her corporate & creative life. She can be found online @mzashleypie