Fluorescent tube-dried tomatoes

There was no warning before they
Flicked the switch
Grabbed us with gloved hands
What a show of ripeness!

We slide down the conveyor belt
Learning the comfortable words
For all our flavours
Finding pleasure in the rhythm, until

Sand and stones start falling in
(A vague remembering
Under transparent skin)

They rattle at first, curiously
With short songs we can laugh at
But while we sleep, teeth repeat them
And each crash gets louder
We want to cover our ears!

But
We start
To hum
Along
And in a few hours

Sunlight