As the end of my sessions drew near
it came into my head which I had learned
was poorly wired and liable to misfire
to present my patient
counsellor with a token of my gratitude
For having listened to so many
weeks of my moaning and whining,
not to mention the groaning and wailing.
Pressed for time I ducked into
the supermarket and grabbed the first substantial
item that manifested itself to me
Clutched it to my chest like a newborn
and hobbled along to the clinic.
And that is how I handed over
a 5kg sack of specialty potatoes
To Ms Piper while muttering my sweaty thanks
and suppressing the realisation I'd
neglected to pay for them.
She nodded and remarked that
across different cultures and historical eras,
the potato has shifted from an ancient agrarian deity
to a modern-day metaphor for quiet strength and grounding
and thus was an appropriate and touching gift
Furthermore as a symbol of survival,
regeneration, and steadfast resilience
it signified that our work here was done.
