Paprika

by Tara Tevald

My father always joked that 

our family crest should be 

a jar of paprika 

and a candle burning at both ends. 

To not use paprika, 

even in a recipe that isn't yours, 

that doesn't call for it, 

is to blaspheme the family. 

Spaghetti sauce? Add paprika. 

Stir fry? Add paprika. 

Soup? Paprika. 

You understand? 

When we buried my grandfather, 

we slipped a Ziploc of it into his casket 

alongside cigars and casino dice. 

I microwave a cup of rice 

and stir in enough for it 

to turn from white to orange 

and I feel a little bit closer to home.

Tara Tevald '24 is the junior editor of Pitch. She likes to spend her free time writing and reading fantasy stories.