Joyce Sutphen




The Kingdom of Summer

In my mother’s cellar there were
realms of golden apple, rooms
of purple beet, hallways of green bean
leading to windows of
strawberry and grape.

In her cellar there were
cider seas and
pumpkin shores,
mountains of tomatoes—
pickle trees.

When I walked down the steps
and pulled on the light,
I saw where she kept the
Kingdom of Summer.