Daily Bread by Daniel Romo
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| Image | Natalia Olivera |
Daily Bread
The cardinals convene while the world awaits white
smoke emanating from the Sistine Chapel chimney
signifying a new pope has been elected, and I told
my wife, I want to go to bed early tonight just so
I can eat the chocolate muffin you bought me for
breakfast. Closing our eyes in prayer or sleep,
counting ballots or sheep—that’s when we’re most
honest with our-selves as if participants in our own
conclave where we meet to choose the calories and
content that’ll begin our day. And though I aspire
to a better diet, a life devoted to an occasional
indulgence is a holy act sabbath of sorts because
we all need a day designated for resting or cheating.
The camera pans, and the Pope emerges from the
church with a chosen new name to indicate the
values he’ll prioritize as pontiff, and I place the
muffin on my desk at work and pick off the top to
eat the best part first, a deconstructed pastry like
cherry-picked scriptures, while worship music
plays from my iPhone, as if this breaking of bread
is a communion worthy of every imaginable price
that has ever been paid.
© Daniel Romo
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| Daniel Romo |
Daniel Romo is the author of American Manscape (Moon Tide Press 2026), Bum Knees and Grieving Sunsets (FlowerSong Press 2023), Moonlighting as an Avalanche (Tebot Bach 2021), and other books. His work can be found in The Los Angeles Review, MAYDAY, Yemassee, and elsewhere. He received an MFA from Queens University of Charlotte, and he lives, writes, and rides his bikes in Long Beach, CA. More at danieljromo.com.
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