The Now Chili

January 13, 2024

A cylindrical jar of Penzey’s Chili 3000, 
cool glass in the palm of my hand: “The Now Chili,” it reads
the numbers of 3000 spaced more than need be, with a 3 and 
three
bowed 
zeroes
a different typeface than the tighter-fisted Chili above it. 

The black ridged, cool matte plastic of the spice jar
a broken sticker seal watermarked with hearts and watercolor lines. 
“Penzey’s/Love to cook~cook to love,” a sticker that won’t line up 
again when I screw the lid, not too tight. 
The architecture of my left hand doesn’t grip after the hand surgery, 
the fingers I broke no longer lining up 
into a fist. 

I wanted to write that this year, I would remember to put the lid on 
instead I look for the threads, 
the ones that close the spice jar 
but that don’t align.

2.1 oz or 59.g on a pale yellow-tan label. “The chili of today!” 
it promises, “Bright modern flavor, everything chili should be.” 
I’m here 
because I made sweet potatoes and tofu into hash, 
I’m here
to slice away the dented and bruised gloss of an apple for topping.
I’m here 
to pare it down. 

Resolutions made late 
or at least late in January.