Each Ear of Corn

Contributor: Mark Tulin

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The man who speaks broken English carefully removes the husks and silks of each ear of corn. His wife slices off the tiny white kernels with her strong brown hands.

They bake trays of muffins each day and sell them with hot coffee to hungry migrant workers.

Each day in the new world is another promising batch. They dream of a future where they can be free and proud.

They pray that the immigration man never comes, never breaks down their front door.

They pray that their tenuous lives never shatter like glass.

If they hear a noise, they draw the blinds, stop and hide, because they fear the man in the dark suit.

The smell of corn muffins filter throughout their home like a beautiful Spanish song. They bake muffins each day with hope in their hearts.


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Mark Tulin is a former family therapist who lives in Santa Barbara, California. He has a poetry chapbook, Magical Yogis, published by Prolific Press (2017). His upcoming book is entitled, The Asthmatic Kid and Other Stories.