Love Poem to Spinach

your vulgar name is “Spinach” but your glorious Latinate name is

Spinacia Oleracea of the goosefoot family

your large dark-green juicy edible leaves are beacons sending tremors through my body

am i masochistic? loving you that most hate—

i took to liking you immediately then the love came later

stronger

i find you absolutely necessary: your stalks & leaves full of iron

you are luscious

sweet

divine you empower anyone who eats you

close to your original glory is how i want you

Tho tình rau

Originally published in The Colorado Review.