Quiet Chopping

By Matilda Sanchez

Quiet chopping
fills the kitchen
Apple juice drips down our hands
Laughing
She tells me to mix the batter
Adding the cinnamon in last
My favorite part 

We drop apples into the batter
Cube by cube
Minute by minute
My excitement rises
Then it’s in the oven
Every second I ask her
How much longer? 

Finally
After years of waiting
We pull it from the oven
The cinnamon sugar sizzling
Proudly showing off
Its crisp top
A delicious smell
fills the warm room
Wafting into my eager nose 

I touch my finger to the top
Pull back quickly
Holding the burnt tip
Oh well
It was worth it 

Then
It’s time
Warm apples fill my mouth
I sigh happily
Contented 

Years later
I will pass this on
The perfect circle
Of love
Of happiness
And quiet chopping
Will fill the kitchen

Matilda Sanchez

My name is Matilda, I am 12 years old, and my gender pronouns are she/her. One of my favorite authors is John Green, and my favorite poetry author is Robert Frost. In my free time I enjoy baking, swimming, and horse riding.