On Monday, the remainder

of the turkey is boiled

until the meat, fat, skin,

sinew, cartilage fall from

the carcass and drop

to the bottom

of the pot.

The bleached bones are

scooped from the pot

and picked clean.

The meat is cleaned from

the bones like panning

for gold. Thumb

and index finger massage

the stringy turkey and tiny

bones

are tossed aside. “Can I

help?” she asks. “Sure.

Check one more time

for bones?”

Carrots, celery, sweet and red

onions chopped, garlic

minced, dried Fresno

and Habanero pepper

bits and big chunks

of white and dark

turkey meat are

plopped into the pot.

He turns up

the heat.

They wipe the grease

from their hands

with paper towels,

wink at each other

and kiss.