Bay to Ocean Journal: Fridays in Baltimore with You by Mel Edden

Author Note: When my husband and I moved from the UK to Baltimore City in 2009 (before our children were born) I spent time developing a quiche recipe we both enjoyed. It took ages to make from scratch, but the end result was delicious. I recently looked at this recipe one cold, rainy Friday night when I had just got home from the unglamorous task of driving one of our children to some activity somewhere. I had labelled the recipe “Mel’s Baltimore Quiche” and reading that title triggered memories of our former footloose years in the city. I am not romanic, and don’t often write love poems, but I’m glad that this one found its way into the world. I guess there’s a hint of sadness in it, a mourning for times past, but overall I like that it celebrates those fancy-free, early years of our marriage. And also Baltimore: a city that charms its way into one’s heart.

Fridays in Baltimore with You

It’s nights like these
I find myself looking back to our small flat
in Spinnaker Bay, Charm City,
to when evenings were open to fancy —
we could spend two hours baking quiche
if we wanted, cracking eggs,
leafing thyme, baptizing our tiny kitchen
with decadent aroma. Washing dishes
together we’d laugh and flirt,
the sink full of warm soapy water,
our mouths with caramel words.
After dinner we’d peel open
the red Netflix envelopes,
then each other,
and binge-watch TV,
bodies braided on the couch.
Next, a late-night walk outside
to the eighth floor balcony
on Lancaster Street,
wine in one hand, yours in my other,
watching tiny people-dots down below,
whispering in wonder at lights across the water,
gazing at the red reflections
of the Domino Sugar sign twinkling
in your perfect blue-gray eyes.

Mel Edden is a British poet based in Baltimore County and a Best of the Net nominee. Her poems feature in Gargoyle, Loch Raven Review, Welter, Slant, Washington Writers Publishing House, and various anthologies. Mel runs the Manor Mill poetry reading series in Monkton, MD and edits their anthology Poets of Manor Mill. She is currently working towards her first solo collection. Website: www.meledden.com. Instagram: @meledden