Once a friend of mine invited me for lunch,
a celebration he planned for his culinary book launch.
I was hesitant to join for my stomach was upset,
but he pleaded with me, he couldn’t change the date.
I decided to not enter into a friendly row,
but to go and occupy a chair in the back row.
While the fervent food rested untouched going stale
we proposed a toast to his success as a chef of style.
Matching the rhythm of our warm and lyrical whine
rosy wine swirled in pallid glasses with metal sheen.
I was delighted to see on the table dishful curd,
so much good for my stomach, with no discord.
The fragrance of famous basmati rice I saw rise,
I favored to have it instead of bread at any price.
Spring onion shards with smell of spring in fish curry
added to the gastronomic delight, a treat far to carry.
Meat in gloomy gravy with emerald layer of basil leaf
met the cooking acumen of any expert chef.
My friend’s hospitality won the hearts of one and all,
we departed before dusk thanking him without fail.
For the food we expressed abysmal appreciation loud,
as much as our bountiful minds could sincerely sprout.
Vaults of wealth, goodwill
Grabbed fistful, spill o'er like sand.
No one's worried still.
Sweeter are found fruits in hand,
And sour, higher up to fend.
Mocks a mocking bird:
Not grapes, sour seem ways to mend,
Change ere sour turns curd.
_______________________
Tanka (Senryu) | 08.11.2025 | bird, change, fruits, goodwill, wealth
Note: Wealth and goodwill when invested and nurtured would yield well. But man’s first instinct is to grab like a miser. For, grapes are sour if too high to fetch. A mockingbird mocks in this Tanka.
Every pirate west of the Caribbean had heard of Captain Gary Bee.
He was reputed to be way younger than the next captain at twenty-three.
We were anxious to meet him, so we invited him to tea.
He strutted in with short pants, that barely covered up a knee.
It is rude to ask pirate captains their age, so we did not.
But he could not have been a decade older than a tot.
He spoke with polish and finesse', was unassuming and not brassy.
After a lunch of bean curd and bean salad, he was a bit gassy.
Excuse me! He said after each burp, belch and break of wind.
We thought he was delightful; he became an instant friend.
Captain Gary Bee, the notorious pirate king of the seven Seas
I was glad he decided to stop in often for our cakes and teas.
I pried with a screw-driver driven into a lid
sealed with age, and rust, to crack open a
callous retribution, set aside, tombed over.
I was curious to learn how much remained
and in what condition. Up came the lid with
a gurgle, fizz, hiss, expelled with age smell.
The paint on top, had dried, to a skin, a curd,
a viscous scum of strange foreign color that
did not auger well for its pending redemption.
I poked through the thin skin, scooping it out,
to reveal the paint separated into its primary
colors. Once, thrice stirred, it slowly rejigged
into its original color and form, ready to adorn
marks on the wall, scraped and sanded ready
for a fix, now all's done dusted, and forgiven.
Crow (Blackus Menacingus)
large, clever and a scavenger
found in gardens where there’s trees
good at puzzles, can be trained
likes TV shows about celebrities
Blackbird (Blackus Not-A-Pirateus)
common gardeners friend is he
perched on the handle of a spade
looking out for bugs and worms
went on a holiday to Adelaide
Thrush (Not-The-Itchyus Sortus)
light brown plumage with spotted front
easily identifiable medium bird
known for a complex, tuneful song
makes jam tarts with lemon curd
Starling (Impressiveus In-A-Large-Flockus)
iridescent all year bird
feathers change colour in the sun
swarms in huge numbers then
off to the pub for rowdy fun
Wren (Smallus Sticky-Uppy-Tailus)
one of the tiniest garden birds
surprisingly loud and piercing voice
small, round body, quick and gone
to play boardgames and other toys
Puffin (Brightus Beakus)
black and white with colourful bill
dives the water for its food
coastal, cliffside, craggy nest
sends birthday cards that are very rude
Helena had always wanted to be a professional hiker more than a bit.
Her parents thought it dangerous, and tried to talk her out of it.
When she was eighteen, she got herself enormous hiking boots.
And proved she could master mountains, bears, tigers and bandicoots.
Her parents were astounded, to them she was just a baby.
She laughed at their consternation and joined the navy.
The navy got her ready to become a guide full time.
She was marching herself all over by age twenty-nine.
A crooked hiking stick, short blue cut-offs and a tiny bird.
Followed her up and down, as she ate strange goat curd.
Helena was an adventurer, an explorer, and a hiker too.
Wearing striped socks, carrying her bed roll, blue.
Her parents backed off when they saw her joy.
She sometimes passed by to yell “ahoy!”
On a pirate ship or a submarine.
She only lingered in their dream.
Pretty perky green parrot repeats each word
Owner Pat makes them up, they are absurd
Chickapickylicky slickyconcly curd
Guests give strange looks to the odd-sounding bird
Don’t ask me says Pat I don’t understand a word.
5 large egg whites
250g caster sugar
380ml double cream
5 tbsp lemon curd
300g blackberries
2 tbsp pistachios, toasted & roughly chopped
InstructionsPreheat the oven to 180 C/160 C fan. Line two large baking trays with baking parchment.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Adding the sugar 1 tbsp at a time, continuing to whisk until you have a stiff, glossy meringue.
Divide into three, placing two big dollops nto one baking sheet and one on the other. Spread out until you have three circles approx 20cm in diameter.
Place the trays in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 140 C/120 C fan. Bake for one hour then turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside to cool completely.
When ready to serve, whip the cream until soft peaks form and fold in the lemon curd. Remove the meringues from the baking parchment and layer with whipped cream, blackberries and a sprinkle of pistachios. Serve in thick slices.
This meringue cake is best eaten on the day of making, but leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a day or two.Fagotto Amaretto chocalae and piscatoes
I've just realized
cottage cheese
is not cheese.
I'm surprised!
I shouldn't be shocked
but, you see,
it's really just
a curd to me!
There simply isn’t any whey,
conception that a curd to me,
when weak and puny, low on wattage,
(seems often, now I’m in my dotage)
could satisfy quite like some cottage cheese!
I found a hair in my egg roll
Lipstick was left on my glass
Discounted prices, no wonder
Bean curd is giving me gas
Cracks in the dishes are nothing
Cracks in the seats are too much
My bottom’s nearly deflated
Next thing, the floor it will touch
Speaking of floors, they’re so sticky
My foot stepped out of my shoe
An hour you’ve been in the bathroom
Search party’s looking for you
Get me the check, where’s my cookie
Ugh, there’s no fortune inside
Chow Mein is starting to rumble
Yuk! I think something has died
Is it a curd? is it a stain.? No its quyeer kharmer..! A true wef acolyte.! Yet certainly no real charmer.' A bender.. Of the knee; is He.' Ex-copper? Is such a certainty.' All lockdowns and
Letters and scraping to betters..Tough on freedoms and
The causes of it.! So uncertain of truths that are built upon it!
He holds a wavering lowered gaze.' A smirk?a grimace? is oft
Portrayed.! Many hollow actions..And so often made.!! He
Builds with straw..He gleans from you, he will miss-name!
A far right will do.) He'll use any means.' Its how he is' now
Get to grips people, he's just not the biz.'
“Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey,
Along came a spider who sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away.”
After a long vacation a little girl called Miss Muffet and her family
returned home at night. They realized the house needs cleaning that
they decided to do in the morning. Meanwhile, mother served Miss
Muffet bowl of curd and whey. She sat comfortably on a soft tuffet,
and as she was about to take the first spoonful of her favorite treat,
a big spider descended from the window sill where it had built a web
when the house was empty. The eight-legged creepy creature was
attracted by the scent of the snack. So, it came down and sat beside
Miss Muffet. Suddenly, a fly whizzed in from nowhere and crawled
up the bowl. The swift spider ran fast across the arm of Miss Muffet,
and pounced on its prey that disappeared within its mouth. The fast
moving scaring scenario frightened Miss Muffet, and she ran away.
Upset and hungry, she could not sleep that night.
She turned to the sunlight And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor: “Winter is dead.”
—A. A. Milne
Y our old-fashioned lemony pie
E specially with meringue
L uxurious curd of citrusy yellow
L ight hue that exudes energy
O stentatious and tempting dessert
W insome jaunty, yellowy, crusty delight
Apple many varieties sweet and sour
Banana soft fruit many uses
Cherry's are sweet watch out for its stone
Damson like a juicy plum
Elderberry fragrant good in wine
Fig many seeded fruit
Grapefruit similar to oranges but tarter
Honeydew melon lovely juicy type of gourd
Indian gooseberry good in pies
Jostaberry a cross between gooseberry, black gooseberry and black currant
Kiwi a tasty green fruit
Lemon can be very tart
Mango juicy fruit with delicate flavour
Nectarine similar to a peach
Orange sweet and juicy usually full of pips
Papaya also known as pawpaw
Quince very sharp like a lime
Raspberry most useful at banquets
Strawberry and ice-cream a summer delight
Tomato both used as a fruit and vegetable
Ugli fruit a gourd like fruit thats tasty
Valancia orange small sweet fruit that packs a punch
Water melon another gourd like fruit
Ximenia Caffra is like a very sour plum
Yellow passion fruit is similar to passion fruit normally cooked as a curd
Zucchini flowers often cooked in batter
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