~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
kitchen air
thick with love, ginger flair
rolled in Granny's hands, then baked just right.
cinnamon, clove, anise, cardamom blended tight
Granny shaped the dark rounds for Christmas night delight
dipped in powdered sugar soft as snow
children’s faces aglow
Ho! Ho! Ho!
Simmering cinnamon and anise star
The house comes alive with festive flair
Rich aromas fill the air
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
AP: 1st place 2025, Honorable Mention 2025
Ouzo, oh ouzo,can make your head verily spin
But it made me feel like I was morphing into Aphrodite's twin!
And, more potent were your eyes stare and long eyelashes.
Dancing the Greek soldiers dance, OPA and in proud sashes.
Decades down life’s river, in the boat of life, we are one .
I close my eyes, still humming ‘Thessaloniki” loud and strong.
In a blue and white colored dream, I still caress your hand,
As we did long ago to a taunting, lively Bozouki band.
I shall blow out the gardenia candle and say good-night,
Loving you was, and is, forever~my soul’s precious delight..
Agape mou!
Panagiota
Notes on Ouzo!
Miracle Anise-flavored drink that can only be made in Greece
As of 2006, it received the EU-approved………………………..
PCO-Protected Country of Origin!
Sugar paper petals rippable Hibiscus
Musk sap via jungle civet melts to jelly
Turkish Delight icing, licked clean fingers
Rubber soft texture entices tongues joyfully
Mallow centesimal stripes boiled candy
Star picket stick pink pigment saccharine
Temptress in dress derived from deer manly
Restless gypsy tastebuds buzz within labyrinth
Gender column calm offers an absconding
Seductive glands have universal indulgence
Elon holds obstinately to his Mars 2030 colony
Stamen aims telescope towards closer emulsion
Satellite dish observation grants mans' wishes
Expands our command of unimagined planets
Future mixes musk fusions for either expeditious
Sows anise seeds for Mars far sighted inhabitants
23rd January 2023
Written for Contest: Musk
Sponsor: Anthony Biaanco
Sari, Sari the woman spoke
I was delighted when I found she
spoke of supper, as I was hungry.
Majestic and Magificent
Lavish and slendid
modish and grand
Chic Genteel and posh
a delight for all
a great choice of food!
Marvelous and grand!
Might a world of hungry people
eat and enjoy!
cups of cooked rice noodles drained
1 cup of steamed chopped spinach
1/2 cup of roasted red bell pepper
1/2 cup of lemongrass
2 tbsp of fish stock
1 teaspoon of chopped ginger
7 green onions chopped
1 cup of chopped cooked pig feet meat
5 crushed garlic cloves
3/4 cups of cilantro
1 pound of shrimp jumbo steamed and chopped
1/4 cup of lime juice plus 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar plus 1 table spoon
of pomegranate molasses plus 1/2 teaspoon of gin and
1& 1/2 tablespoons of cayenne peppers
6 cups of chicken broth
2 star anise
Sautee ginger,garlic,onion and lemongrass, five minutes tossed
and remove from heat.
boil chicken stock mix in vinegar and molasses mixture.
add pig feet and spinach and
allow to simmer.
remove stock from heat add all ingredients and serve!
I wanted to add purple to my garden, she said.
She was lucky to have me, I thought in my head.
What about catmint, hydrangea, or meadow rue?
She looked confused, like she did not know what to do.
There is always lavender, corydalis, alluring allium too.
She took a step back and landed heavily on my shoe.
Spiderwort, mist flower, violet, anise, I suggested to her.
She did not respond fast, so I mentioned lupine, so pure.
How do you know so much about flowers, she asked me.
I don’t know, I guess I have grown up with them naturally.
Verbena, leading lady plum and bellflower might be the way…
She screamed, turned on her heel, and ran squarely away.
Written 6-5-2022
Contest: Purple Flower Contest
Sponsor: Nayda Ivette Negron Flores
Autumn Delicacies
Scruffy clouds scoot across a ragged autumn sky
Scattering bits of seasonal, savory, spice ~
Hues of paprika fly from orange tupelos
Then spin together in tumbleweeds of rusty umber oaks
And fluttering tinges of gold from ginger hued aspens ~
Aromatic sassafras, imbued by sable sycamores,
Stir up chestnut stars of wafting anise stars
Folded into swirling feasts of umber cinnamon beech
Twirling potpourris of equinox bouquet garni
As whirlwinds mix the delicacies of burgundy liquid amber ~
A banquet feast ~ a jubilee ~
Mixed and measured
By the hand of wind song rhapsodies
Strewn across autumn’s tongue ~
Taste testing fall.
10-13-21
Contest: Let’s Mix It Up
Sponsor: Constance La France
Lines 1-2 – Unrhymed couplet
Lines 3-9 Imagism
Lines 10-14 Tanka Unrhymed Lines
Sometimes words make me melt!
Like that anise-flavored, OUZO, the
Greek aperitif.
On hot cheese the waiter pours it.
A match is lit and the dish, of course,
lights up.
Don’t ask why, but wow, it makes my
heart melt!
Poets words can be that intoxicating.
A special few set my heart to racing,
Ouzo, as moving as great poetry!
Especially, much like Cummings most,
direct poem, such honesty!
“I Like My Body, When it is With Your
Body.”
A poem highly sensual and most loving.
A poem each poet should surely, read.
That is, if you are an adult and truth is
your thing..
And only read if you are a raving realist!
Who wants their heart to sing and have
it moonlit kissed.
10/12/2021
October Spice
Inspired October creates a recipe
For a sumptuous feast
A bouquet garni of paprika hued orange tupelo,
A fete of fragrant cinnamon shades in russet umber oaks,
Sprinkling tinges of savory gold in dancing ginger aspens
Then blending bits of sienna nutmeg tones to hickory,
Glazing scarlet cardamom frost on the sugar maple,
In a festival of allspiced sweet gum mixed delicacies
A banquet fest spread out in pungent cloves of beech offerings
Autumnal master stirs up a feast of bonne bouche in sassafras tones
With a smidge of saffron dusting on sable sycamores
Tidbits of chestnut fripperies - dainty delights wearing star anise harvests -
Sachet d’Epices of magenta dyed coriander colors burning bushes burgundy
In measures reflecting eternal delight - a twirling potpourri of praise.
9-27-21
Contest: October
Sponsor: Regina McIntosh
Thank you Jan for the inspiration!
Grandpa's tractor coughs, sputters and comes alive, acrid smoke sharpening my senses... gears engaged, lurches forward, disturbing clouds of fungus midges bursting in the sun from the damp clumps of weeds near the barn.
Anise Hyssop, wild spires along the barn, fill the air with licorice smells as the rear wheels brush by.
Proceeding to the field, the tractor hiccups over clumps of soil, jarring memories of Grandpa's firm grip around my waist, riding along, teaching me secrets of the earth...
...a cycle finished, Grandma brought out to the field at lunchtime, a covered basket filled with cold chicken, potato salad, creamed cucumbers and half a fresh berry pie, lovingly prepared the day before, sharing smiles and my excited recollections of the morning...
...another couple hours and Grandpa tires a bit, so we ramble back to the barn, spying Grandma unclipping laundry from the clothesline, softly singing beautiful hymns of praise.
A Blessed Day, Indeed..
Her hush rolls like folding scrolls
Gentle breeze, whiffs of anise
Fire, cream puff desire
Soft sorbet, goosebump display
Draw back of kite, lull of light
Descending easel bending
Blackboard slate, forgiveness' weight
5-17-2020
“dans le heure bleue"
My skin feels alive
when you are
next to me
blood pulsing
from the core
of me
Root Chakra Red
My throat exposed
the Wolf now
lies next to me
in my warm bed
savage and smiling
he is seen, he
smells of
fresh crushed green
pine leaves
lemon
basil
bergamot
a heart blooming
with jasmine
rose
carnation
coriander
patchouli
sandalwood
and iris root, then
I’m on my knees
genuflecting
he says,
“Come here,"
He kisses me
and tastes
like
Star Anise
"sauvage
je reviens
vers vous
Rouge
dans le
heure bleue..."
(LadyLabyrinth/2019)
V.S.A.S.
"Scent of a Woman
rising from
the Oceans blue
necklace of pearls
on a clam shell
salt and air
silver cut grass
then earthed
terra australis
Red"
Autumn
Foliage on the trees
Red fire adorn the leaves
Bloody berries on display
Acorn and pine cones in disarray
Squirrel and chipmunk stuff their cheeks
As they’ll hibernate for weeks
A toasty, sweet and spicy fume
Warm aroma fill the room
Lemongrass ,ginger ,star anise and cinnamon,
The vigilant mother hen
A kettle of hot tea
Cloudy puffs of steam, what a wonder to see
A bowl of pumpkin soup sprinkled with its seed
Buttery crescent with cream cheese
Snow boots fit with ease
Marckincia Jean
Rhyme
08/31/19
From my multicolor heart
feverish sounds, and
subtle odors
of mysteries ...
Eyes,
lapis lazuli stones
look to the the sky
mystery in
blue...
Perceptions
of sweet puzzle
ties,
energizing.
heart...
pulsating indigo!
almost green
exceeding green
of aplant...
Blue,
further than bluish
multicolored
anise heart,
Heart,
rainbow
in your
sky...!you see....
It's me.
~The Knot Garden~
Weave up and down, now in an out.
Where does it start?
Where does it stop -
The dance, this lively garden gavotte?
A circle of Thyme, like ladies fair,
Joined with royal ribbons of Sage
Woven throughout with Tarragon’s leaves,
Rosemary’s boughs – handsome as lords.
A stately pattern of no mean estate
Made with Marjoram and Parsley in hue,
An intricate knot, noble in origin,
Sir Basil and Savory in delicate steps.
Oregano bows and Peppermint curtsies –
A duke and his duchess
Entwined in the waltzing
Of ancient design and arrangement.
Lines intersect with flowers of Anise,
Squares within circles – pungent with Dill -
Carefully planned, a castle garden dances,
Intertwined in delight by a King for his Queen.
Dedicated to the reproduction of a medieval knot garden at Filoli Gardens and Estate.
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