mum makes the dough, i knead it
mum tells me that Grandma had a
potato bug. we use regular yeast instead.
i worry it’s not “authentic”. are we
cheating by making it this way?
after leaving the dough to rise, i knead
it again. i wonder what it was like
for Grandma when she made it.
all i have of her are moments
captured through the lens of others.
the dough goes into the
oven. it rises, transforming
becoming a soft bread.
we take it out of the oven. i don’t
know if it looks how it’s supposed to.
my family gathers round the
table. we enjoy the bread together.
all i have of her are moments.
About the author
Alexander Te Pohe is a Māori writer. They mostly write YA fiction and angsty poetry and almost always have a book/poem/article/essay brewing. They founded Ruru Reads, a website dedicated to publishing work by People of Colour and Indigenous people. You can find them on Twitter.