I wrote this poem inspired by the prompt for the 2026 Mountain Xpress Poetry Contest which was to share a poem about food and community. I didn’t get selected for print, but I’m grateful for the inspiration.
Just a few days before Hurricane Helene, I participated in ASAP’s Farm Tour. (My September 2024 camera roll is jam-packed with photos of pristine WNC followed directly by the destruction of Swannanoa by Hurricane Helene.) Then, I spent ten months living in two places. Just before the one year anniversary of the flood, I was back fully home. These are all real photos from my phone camera.
