![Cheese by Chloe Yelena Miller Cheese by Chloe Yelena Miller](https://bourgeononline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Italian-market-photo-by-Chloe-Yelena-Miller-768x576.jpeg)
Cheese
for L. C.
I want to write you a friendship poem
but it wants clichés:
calls in the middle of the night,
laughs over a late drink.
Instead there’s this cheese.
I ordered it affumicato (smoked) at the market,
felt brava speaking Italian.
But the aproned man cut down a giant,
stagionato (aged) cheese,
hung from the ceiling over a display
for tourists I scooted between
as I played the role of signora.
He sliced the cheese, chunks crumbling to the side.
I asked for only half,
he sighed.
I kept half of the half,
gave you the other quarter wrapped in plastic bags.
Enough for two meals!
You sent me a photo
of you and your husband
smiling
as big as the cliché I wanted to write
to ringraziarti
for you.
![](https://bourgeononline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Chloe-Yelena-Miller-696x928-1-400x533.jpeg)
Chloe Yelena Miller’s poetry collection, Viable, was published by Lily Poetry Review Books (2021) and her poetry chapbook, Unrest, was published by Finishing Line Press (2013). Miller is a recipient of a 2020 and 2022 DC Arts and Humanities Fellowship (Individuals) grant. She teaches writing at American University, and Politics & Prose Bookstore, as well as privately. Miller is the co-founder of Brown Bag Lit; she teaches and organizes events for them. Contact her and read some of her work at www.chloeyelenamiller.com / https://twitter.com/ChloeYMiller
Image © 2023 Chloe Yelena Miller