Ok so… my dearest Tracy Jo told me that my writing has been rather dark lately. It’s entirely possible. I write to lay the darkness down in the light, and once the light hits it, it’s no longer darkness.

I dunno, though.

Maybe she’s right about too much, even if I do consider it a good thing.

Maybe I just need some magic in my ordinary days. A little “boost” in the form of a beverage. A little boost in the form of being with friends and family. Don’t we all need that kind of boosting after the crazy year we’ve had?

I’m hoping to have a summer filled with little boosts from family and friends. Maybe I’ll even follow some of the recipes in this poem to boost the magic the extra mile.

Magic in the Ordinary

Two ripe strawberries on the vine
     bubbling champagne
          one sugar cube
               Santé!
			
               Three frothy fronds of dill
           one fresh cucumber
     a splash of gin
Skål!

One yellow pineapple
     amber rum
          a squeeze of orange 
                Salud!

                Red bell peppers
          a handful of cilantro
     Don Julio Blanco Tequila
¡Al centro!
			
Valentine vodka
      a bit of ginger beer
          one squeeze of lime
                Prost!

               A few drops of Angostura bitters
          rich ruby port
     a dash of orange curaçao
Saluti!

A wee bit of superfine sugar
     two ounces of cachaca
          freshly squeezed lime juice
                 Saúde!
                 
                 Dark black coffee
           a tip of Teeling Whiskey
      fresh whipping cream 
Sláinte!

 —Carla Picklo Jordan