His and Hers

Take them all,
or leave behind
what you no longer want.
You can always rip
the cover pages out,
the spaces where I signed
my name, or that I loved you,
or Merry Christmas.

The recipes are as good
as they ever were, regardless
of former sentiment.

Although I would be careful
about the coconut layer cake
from the birthday that ended
on an especially sweet note.

I would also caution you
on the maple oatmeal scones,
since I’m sure the last thing
you want to be reminded of
are those Sunday mornings
on the deck with the birdsong
and the breezes and hot
coffee, an entire luscious day
to ourselves.

Other than those,
you should be fine.
Oh, one more thing.
Steer clear of the chocolate pots—
those will take you down a lane
you swore you would never
traverse again.

Claire Juno, © 2014