POETRY: Pomegranate As My Heart, by Gary Soto

I don’t have much to offer
But this pomegranate,
A fruit ancient as the Nile,
A fruit that bleeds like a heart.
I can only think of how beautiful you are.

If I could crack open this pomegranate
And share it with you,
Would that be a nice gift?
We could nibble these jewels,
Smile red smiles.

I wait at the curb, tossing the pomegranate
From one hand to the other.
Come out, please.  I’m waiting.
How many times will I juggle
This ancient fruit before it drops?
If I do—and it splits open
To reveal its jewels—
I’ll give you the largest part.

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