Best Plantains Poems
Sat by the jetty overlooking the waters
of Tombia
Waves and ripples as boats drive
pass speedily
Passengers and luggage alike all
disembarking
All by the Tombia waterside in the
riverine Rivers
Free from the hustles and bustles bedevilling
Port Harcourt
The mayhem and chaos in the Oil city all left
behind in the city
Yet such serenity by the waters of Tombia
Piece, quiet and tranquility quieten my
stress
Trying to be patient, but my patience is
running riot
Trying to stay and remain calm by the waters
of Tombia.
Roasted peppered fish and plantains my
consolation.
All by the waterside of Tombia.
Old Havana it's been a long, time,
since I felt your love.
Your warm oceans, and island breeze,
Is never enough.
You soothe my soul with your calming seas,
and your soft raindrops, make me
feel at ease.
I can see Mr Hemingway sipping on Rum.
Writing away, till the morning sun.
There are fiestas and tourist
in the market square.
Old Havana, Please take me there.
The Cuban people always so
kind.
On this little island, time left behind.
Antique cars from a different past.
Old Havana, when you were your
best.
There is Spanish cooking in the
air.
The smell of fried plantains, and
Chorizo everywhere.
Senora will you have this dance
with me?
Cuban rhythms we enjoy, dancing in
the streets.
Her eyes are dark and her skin so tanned,
I wish this moment to never end.
The blue ocean beckons us for a swim,
savoring these waves, serenely rolling in.
A glass of Bacardi rum to ease my mind,
wishing to savor this moment, for a long
long time.
Listening to a Salsa Cuban Band
by the ocean.
While watching the sunset sinking and
touching our inner emotions.
Old Havana , please welcome me.
It is you my love, I've waited so long
to see..
At first we seemed to slope
Low and low, I thought we could drop
Then snaking through the hills, we
rose
And I imagined the valleys could close
Yes! This was the land of awe
I peered through the windows and
saw
The hills resembled a big cat’s raised
paw
Indeed they made the terrains afar a
desire
For mine eyes couldn’t stop but
admire
Yes! This was the land of awe
The plantains darted everywhere in
joy
Dancing beneath seemed the
cassava’s ploy
Were they seeing the glint in my
eyes?
Their response was such a dice!
Yes! This was the land of awe
Then palm trees in rows as folds in a
foil
I could smell the richness of the soil
And left to dreamily savor its oil
Pondering on the folk’s toil and moil
Yes! This was the land of awe
As the city drew nigh
Mine being lit with a sigh
At the thought of meeting with the
women and men
That walked majestically along the
streets and down the lane
For indeed, this was the land of awe!
(A Trip to Bujumbura, Burundi)
Birds scatter away from the trees
as they blissfully sing in choruses.
Trees glow in reddish-ember hue'
making the forest to be brighter.
The scent of night rain
oozes from the moist ground,
to our nostrils as we are half-awake.
Farmers sing as they head
to their farms to till the land.
Children creep to the plantains,
to check their mole traps.
Shepherds take their cattle herds
to graze in the green fields....
It is morning;
a new day!
Sweet potatoes baked
or plantains fried,
take your pick.
Caribbean treats
delectable and sweet,
one puts more weight
on the thighs!
San Juan
The flowering trees
The island breeze
San Juan
The raised cross walk
We faint – we balk
The narrow streets
The salsa beats
The swaying palm
The driver’s calm
The soft sand beach
The natives speech
The evening rains
The food – plantains
The fortress walls
The wild bird calls
The slower pace
The warm embrace
San Juan
The humid air
The sweat soaked hair
The hotel noise
The merchant’s ploys
The taxi cost
The getting lost
San Juan
Jambalaya tastes so fine
With sweet plantains fried…
Serve this dish up nice and hot,
Sure to hit the spot…
Of course you’ll feel fine
Won’t you sit,
Dine!
I twist and turn, I grasp and grab.
Is there any foothold?
Any crevice or jutting edge
That my fingers may find lodgings?
The wind zips past me in cold blasts,
Sucking along what lil’ air my nostrils find.
I open my mouth to yell; …nothing.
Despite the wind’s fury and howling,
I feel perspiration break out on my face.
That is the cold sweat of fear.
The knowledge that all that I have ever done;
The good, the bad, and the, well, not so good
All boil down to this moment.
The space between the top of the ledge and the bottom.
Time fades away and loses import.
My life flashes before my eyes like distorted parts of many movies,
Not the sweet memories of Christmas,
Nor the sweet smell of beans and plantains
Wafting in from the kitchen…
No.
It’s the thought of all that I could have done,
The memories of all the things that I did wrong
And all the things I could and should have done right.
The things I did not do.
And as the bottom draws nearer,
And the end sweeps up with that feeling of inevitability,
I feel only one taste in my mouth;
Regret.
And then …nothingness………
Thud!
He is the skin that covers my wounds
The air that surrounds the moon
I am his star
He is my night
He is the darkness on my plantains
That makes them so ripe and sweet
He is my eyes reflection
In the night when I sleep
He is the keys on my keyboard
That I love to stroke
He is the dots on my watch
And I am the hand that’s on top of him every second and
Every hour in existence
I am his lighter
And he is my incense
He is the words on my page
That cannot be erased
And gets wiser with age
He is my BET
And my cup of tea
That I drink
As I sit here and think
About him whispering dirty little secrets
In my ear
Undressing my imagination
Arousing the sensations
Flowing through my veins
Causing the sensory nerves in my brain
To overload and explode
Into mental fragments of
Black love
4 CUPS OF PORK-BUTT SLICED
1/3 CUP OF CORNSTARCH AND 1/3 CUP OF WATER(MIXED)
1 CUP OF LIME JUICE
1/4 CUP OF CHILI PEPPERS(HOT)
1 CUP OF ONIONS (CUT INTO WEDGED PIECES AND BLANCED)
2 TABLESPOONS OF SOY SAUCE
1/4 HONEY
1/4 BROWN SUGAR
1/2 CUP BANANA RUM
5 PLANTAINS BROILED(UNTIL CARAMELIZED)
1/3 CUP OF GREEN PEPPERS (BLANCHED)IN STRIPS.
3 TABLESPOONS OF CRUSHED GARLIC
5 TABLESPOONS OF FISH STOCK
...........................................................................
5 CUPS OF COOKED RICE
1/2 CUP OF OLIVE OIL
1 TABLESPOON OF CUMIN
1 TABLESPOON OF PAPRIKA
1 TABLESPOON OF GARLIC POWDER
1 TABLESPOON OF ONION POWDER
3 CUPS OF PORK BROTH
1/3 CUP OF CHOPPED GREEN ONION
1 CUP OF DICED CUCUMBER
1 CUP OF DICED APPLE
1/3 CUP OF CHOPPED RAISINS
1 CUP OF PISTACHIOS
1/4 CUP OF SHREDDED CARROTS
1/2 CUP OF CHOPPED FINE MUSTARD GREENS
..............................................................
IN A WOK, HEAT 4 TABLESPOONS OF OLIVE OIL, GARLIC, ONIONS AND PEPPERS, REMOVE VEGTABLES, ADD PORK-BUTT AND COOK UNTIL NEARLY DONE, ADD VEGES AND , SOY,CHILIS, ADD RUM, COOK OFF ALCOHOL, ADD, FISH STOCK AND LIME JUICE AND HONEY AND BROWN SUGAR, ADD A LITTLE OF CORNSTARCH MIXTURE TO THICKEN, ADD PLANTAINS AND REMOVE FROM THE HEAT.
..........................................................................................................
IN A WOK, ADD OIL, GARLIC,CARROTS, MUSTARD GREENS, STIR FRY FOR ABOUT 4 MINUTES, ADD RICE UNTIL RICE STARTS BROWNING STIR, ALLOW MOST OF THE RICE TO BE COATED IN OIL AND GREENS, ADD SPICES, STIR AND COAT THE RICE, ADD RAISINS , ONIONS APPLES, CUCUMBER AND PISTACHIOS, REMOVE FROM HEAT
......................................................................................................
TO PLATE RICE FIRST
TOPPED WITH PORK
SPRINKLE WITH COCONUTS FLAKES
AND SERVE!
Squirrel's squeaky squeal...!
It was a warm evening stroll
along the bund of a canal;
The river flowing further away,
I used canal bund for my sway.
The muddy man-made track,
along the thickly wooded bank!
Many pleasant birds in sight,
going about their duties right!
Egrets, Storks, Ibis and Heron,
Peacocks with it's hens' harem.
A wading flock of herded ducks,
herded by herdsman's quacks!
Cattle criss-crossing at its will,
quenching thirst in waters still!
Fields of Paddy and Plantains,
an odd worker who maintains!
Rarely, a reptilian friend in way,
out to scramble as if I had a say!
All these and many more of wild,
their life in manner that is so mild!
That's when I came across one,
scooted away from me to shun!
A Squirrel, saw me - open 'n' bare,
fixed it's gaze on me with its pair!
Ran ahead and away - tail a tower,
a Palm tree to scale for its cover!
Squeaky squeal as it made its way,
hoping to shoo it's troubles away!
It's tummy and heart kept pounding
'rustle of my approach', in it hounding!
Frequent peep from its side and over,
to keep me away from it - however!
Gait of mine as I approached close,
see fear in its eyes and pointed nose!
Hid itself, up in that Palmyra crown,
did I see it staring at me with a frown?
Mindful and yet unmindful of it I walk,
without any thought in me to stalk!
For fear was caused by, in its mind,
no role of mine in it - is what I find!
Biff, the oboist
2 cups of pureed shrimp
1 cup of chopped turkey bacon
4 cups of flour (self rising)
1/4 cups of coconut flakes
3/4 cups of green onion
3 T celery seeds (toasted)
2 T sesame seeds (toasted)
5 Tablespoons of crushed Garlic
1/2 cup of red bell pepper(diced)
1/4 cup of olive oil( fused with 2 Tablespoon of cayenne pepper)
2 T of lemon zest
3 T spiced rum
1/4 cup of chopped mango
3 egg yolks
1 & 1/4 cup of buttermilk
4 egg whites whipped to stiff peaks
mix all the ingredients,(all except the egg whites)
mix smooth, and set aside. fold in the egg whites
on a flat hot oiled skillet, spoon the fluffy mixture
onto the skillet, making four inch round pancake
flip when golden brown.
serve with a pomegranate syrup...………….
10 pound fresh ham
score the fat with diamond shapes
coat with a mixture of liquid smoke, honey and orange juice
(about 5 Tablespoons each)
mix together
1/4 cup of cayenne pepper
5 T garlic powder
7 T of onion powder
1/4 cup of ground ginger
6 T of ground cloves
1 cup of grounded pecans ( coarse)
2 cups granulated brown sugar
5 T of orange zest
4 tablespoons of salt
coat the ham, and cover with foil,
bake for about four hours at 350, use thermometer to keep doneness
serve with some twice fried plantains
I love you, morning after morning, evening after evening.
I see it in cubes cast
And chiefly featuring in breakfast;
In Bread and cake harboured
And in plantains and cereals honoured…
Also in my tea that would gullets pass through,
Its presence in oats holding true.
I see it in packs neatly filled
In layers arranged and sealed,
Each one of them as white as white can be!
Every one of them nearly the honey of a bee.
I’m told The Best Quality is in Havana,
Although readily grows in every Savannah.
A starchy stuff and energy booster,
Raiser of the Weak and sure Mover!
Yet, not a fabulous treat for The Diabetic
None ever, after taking it, ecstatic…
Must, in fact, forget consuming even a single:
Their no no-go area and Bermuda Triangle.
The mother of plantains and holy thoughts
She shifted in the underbrush to avoid the
guerilla
soldier's gunfire.
Still, now she is bones and a cross
necklace.
"One day the evil will not rule and she will
rise."
Un dia el mal no va a globema y que se
elevara.
Elevara.
Elevara.
From the dust.
From the dirt..
No singing songs of mourning.
The song then a song fit for Lazarus and
for life
healed and returned.
The pure throat.
The innocent throat.
Oh, her beautiful black feet dancing once
again.
Sapphire reflections of a time when life seemed all but simple. The smell of plantains and coconut steamed skin was yet another reminder of the summer before. I still remember the way Denim floated against waves so opulent with Artic hues. The memory of you that day burned into my retinas. Skin as dark as Royal, Steel eyes wrapped in Azure clothing with sweet Persian beneath your feet. Share with me your virtue as we navigate Periwinkle ripples.