Two Poems • Carol Smallwood

The Side Salad

Two grape tomatoes symmetrically nestling with dark
and light lettuce, curls of carrot and Newman's Italian dressing:
a smiling Paul in gondolier hat on the packet waiting to embark.
Two grape tomatoes symmetrically nestling with dark
dishes ready to be tossed with low-fat dressing: a mark
of good eating, profits going to charity--an all around blessing.
Two grape tomatoes symmetrically nestling with dark
and light lettuce, curls of carrot and Newman's Italian dressing.


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McDonald’s Lime

Southwest Salad slices of lime convey clinks of ice,
women in white linen, men in black ties sharing jokes.
The juice spills on hands seeking unforgettable spice--
Southwest Salad slices of lime convey clinks of ice.
The salad is sold in plastic at a moderate price
and one leaves as from a private club slipping on a coat.
Southwest Salad slices of lime convey clinks of ice,
women in white linen, men in black ties sharing jokes.


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Carol Smallwood co-edited Women on Poetry: Tips on Writing, Teaching and Publishing by Successful Women Poets (McFarland, 2012). Some magazine credits include: The Writer’s Chronicle, English Journal, and Michigan Feminist Studies.