Sweet Precious Icy

Long ago my uncle had dairy cows

once a year he'd let us take the cream

grind it one dripping hot sweaty day

in a wooden contraption brought out

just this one time a year with a crank

pressing rare ice and kosher salt around

a small metal cylinder filled to the top

with cream sugar eggs pulled nest fresh.

We cousins taking turns

the task tougher resistant

we'd have to lean push force

press with our whole bodies

into each singular revolution.

In the end my aunt would come

and scoop scrap out every bit of

a spatula one of us given to lick

the fine dear white cold mixture

into her largest fiesta ware bowl

brought out only this one time

and mix in freshly picked sliced

strawberries from her ripe patch.

So many family back then

each got a spoon small cup

sitting on hot cement steps

savoring those five maybe six

mouthfuls sweet precious icy.