Peppers

Blaže Koneski

In Prilep we celebrate with peppers.
We heap them in bushels in the bazaar.
We eat them with salads, straight from the pan,
pickle them with veggies for the winter.

Raw, hot, or sweet,
in them you’ll find elixir.
With some salt and pepper, we grow strong.
With some relish, our lives are beautiful.

Autumn will come with its charms,
with peppers that every home will keep.
Balconies will be adorned with colorful reds,

each house like a cute young bride.
In our towns of old, this is how we
make our beauty, our pride.