It’s simple, really:
you mix together two kind deeds,
a pinch of humor,
a measured amount of patience,
and bake.

The temperature
can range between
fifty-five and seventy,
but we’ll just say, “room”
because you’ll need it.

Out of the oven
they will pop like kernels
unable to contain themselves,
crouching down
in whispered excitement,
trying not to disrupt your day.

And in the same glorious moment
that they pass the thanks
and share how they paid it forward,
you will take a taste
of your recipe.

It will linger on your tongue
and tingle its way down your throat,
skipping over
your digestive tract
and resting
in the center of your heart.