Solo Dining While Growing Up

By Curtis Robbins

When my whole family sat down at the dinner table:

There was always
a lot to eat from corner to corner
There was always conversation
between forks and spoons
There was always conversation
between glasses and cups
There was always conversation
between napkins
There were always
empty plates and empty bowls
But the knife that laid between them all-
from mouth to ear-
from mouth to eye-

cut me off.