Aunt Katie and the Peach

 

Following is a poem written by Elaine Sommers Rich about my grandmother, Kathryn Troyer.

 

AUNT KATIE AND THE PEACH

 

My Aunt Katie, on furlough from India

            after six missionary years,

Picked a peach from a tree

            in my father’s orchard,

Its slim leaves gleaming deep green

            in Indiana sunshine.

I see her silhouetted against

            our kitchen window,

Eating the peach,

            thinkingly eating the peach,

The features on her face

            etched on my childhood mind,

For she did not gobble,

            nor simply swallow.

She contemplated the response

            of her taste buds.

She savored.  She let each bite

            take time on her tongue.

At last she said,

            surprising herself,

I think I’d rather have a mango.

 

Now, more than half a century

            later, I wonder

Does distance sweeten

            Both peaches and mangos?

 

You can see that my cross-cultural roots go back two generations and I also am very fond of mangos, although I must say I have enjoyed fresh peaches this summer as well.  This also reminds me of something Grandpa Troyer used to say:  “The best place to eat a mango is in the bathtub!”