Seasoning

I saw the rust last night—

thin line at the rim, orange

where the black seasoning ends. Right

where water stays when I arrange

the pan in the rack instead

of drying it by hand.

Three nights. Maybe four. I've said

I know the rule. I understand

cast iron. I've had this pan

for years. The rest is fine—

still black, still solid. The span

of good surface. Just the line

at the rim going orange.

I can fix it: sand the rust,

oil it, oven. I'm not estranged

from the method. I just

keep putting the pan in the rack.

The rust showed up between

last month and now. The black

is still black. The orange is clean

and new and mine.

I ate the eggs. I set

the pan down on the drying rack. The fine

line of orange. Not fixed yet.