Corned beef on rye bread
steaming hot
Tangy mustard, fresh sauerkraut
~ Salivate
_____________________________________
'Essen' means 'Eat' in German....
Of course, you didn't need me to
tell you that.
'Bitter beggar woman'- that's your version of who I am?
I who nurture your children a decade, almost a score
Contorting my body to an unwanted twenty pounds more,
Cursing my fate for the diligent years of labour.
Looking back now with nothing left to savour
While you hang out with the guys, recreating your youth
While you salivate over the neighbour
in her long-legged stiletto shoes,
While you ‘make love' to me --
infrequently and out of duty --
am I not entitled to an ounce of your charity?
If I am a bitter beggar woman,
have you not seen me beg for your time?
I have no pension or bounties for my golden years;
All I have are my still-fresh tears.
I beg to be free
But freedom isn't even mine.
I am married- a curse I must bear
Like a crown of thorns on my head, my fate I wear.
There is no place left to hide.
I must embrace the void.
cold December morning
hot butter sliding off a hot pancake
i salivate
tasting it before I take a bite
Omaha steaks
filet mignon
boneless pork chops
caramel apple tarts
free steak burgers
chilled chicken breasts
I salivate
getting out my Heinz 57 and a knife
Stuck in my bracelet,
Like strung up brains.
Eating my name in pieces, strips.
It’s been two days.
Everyone has eyes and cracking joints.
No buzz, or splintering.
Maybe just a little taste of transcension.
And me.
Sickness and burrowing.
Like the shadows do.
Tipping the burden onto my piercing brain.
Sickness is nothing like me.
My weird bracelet is like wires like me.
Rubbing my hands excitedly.
Moving my hands around as if a meteor is passing by and I could catch it…
Or even Saturn’s rings floating a couple miles north.
I could chop this bracelet off anytime.
If they gave us…
The pointy things we salivate over.
In the shower.
In the shower, it’s more brutal than ever.
Wear nothing except this…
Thing.
Sickness is nothing like me!
A little taste of transcension.
And the hasty results.
It’s been three days.
On a clock which transcends even me.
Life is too short,
God save the pizza,
Next week,
I will eat a pizza,
Neapolitan or Hawaiian,
A Breton or Norwegian pizza
A pizza filled with promises,
I will eat a pizza,
your taste buds will be in paradise,
The appetite comes by eating
Italy is on the plate,
life is too short,
A pizza changes life,
Tomatoes, cheeses, onions,
Salmon, mushrooms, fresh cream,
I salivate while writing it,
The pizza dough is airy,
Anchovies, tomatoes, mushrooms,
Pineapple, sausage or sweet mango
I’m going to bite you my darling,
Life is way too short without you.
God save the pizza.
Pavlov rang a little bell
His dogs did salivate
My dogs slobber without a knell
~ Why am I not as great
The greed of the white man knows no bound
It transcends life, it transcends death
Their eyes gleam with profit
Their mouths salivate at another black death
Prices heightened on a casket
Won't be too long till another black body fills it
Money earned from this purchase
Used to pay their rent
If there is anything left they'll use it to pay for their children's education
They don't see us as human
But they do see us as a money making scheme
They target us and then
Up the prices of our funerals
Their own system to monetize our deaths
Acting is their forte
When they look in our eyes and lie to our faces
Sending condolences our way
But inside brimming with happiness
Not an ounce of sympathy
Not a fibre of empathy
Just pre dug graves and unnecessary funeral bills
To them we are products ready to be exchanged
delightful delectable delicacy
warm cherry peach tart with raspberry tea
I am so glad I was invited to partake
uh-oh, lemon meringue pie and German chocolate cake
what kind of grandmother is this? I ask my ma.
The kind whose baking stole the heart of my sweet-loving pa.
Meringue on pie made my swallow glands salivate.
as a cook and a baker, my grandma truly is great.
german chocolate cake with coconut frosting
cherry jello punch cake with whipped cream
champagne cake with seven-minute-icing on my birthday
three-layered lemon cake with almond filling
I salivate as I think about these lovely delights
Puppy dog eyes are real
A dog makes a big deal
Out of watching you eat your meal
If you have food to eat
They expect a special treat
Something salty or something sweet
Sitting beside you with sad eyes
They salivate, no big surprise
Until you decide to compromise
The women in the kitchen are exceptionally pretty
Because they are my relatives, and they love me
My mother is wearing a red dress, but it is muted
Aunt Sue is dressed in green with a fancier apron
The entire house smells like vanilla and cinnamon
I salivate the minute I enter the kitchen
You may have one cookie before lunch, mother says
How can I choose just one?
My favorite cookies are all over the place
Chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies
Gingerbread cookies, frosted sugar cookies
“Okay, two,” she says, seeing my dilemma.
My aunt sneaks me a third cookie when my mother turns.
“I saw that!” My mother says, without looking.
I am only seven, but I know she has eyes all around her head.
My aunt laughs, but I am scared now. What else does Mom know?
the fragrance of the kitchen brings me to full awake status
coffee, oranges, and butter are the first smells to which I alert.
the closer I get, the more aromas I can decipher.
pumpkin spice, onions, Worchester and barbeque sauces are next.
I begin to salivate, ready to sample whatever the cooks will let me have.
Cinnamon! We are having fresh homemade rolls too! Well done!
What smells like chocolate? I ask my mother. Hot cocoa, have some.
My father has begun to dunk round droplets of dough into a grease vat.
Homemade donuts! This might be the best Thanksgivings Day ever!
By the time the turkey, gravy and mashed potatoes are ready
my stomach is growling with crazy appreciation
and I have not tasted much of anything yet.
mama’s pies were the best around
her crust was flaky and sugary
no one could bake a pie like she
she never baked a pie
she always baked three or four
I guess she only knew how to make lots of crust
there was enough left to sugar and cinnamon
for my sister and brother and I
she baked that on a cookie sheet and it was delicious!
her lemon meringue was a delicacy about which I still salivate
hot rhubarb pie with a tangy zesty zing, oh, my,
she could bake a terrific pie!
her pudding pies were enormously successful
she dolloped whipped cream on those.
I have not had a good pie since she left this earth.
Looking forward to more of mom’s pies in heaven
one of these days
fluffy white Christmas divinity
I have missed it since Mom went to heaven
sweet light and puffy
and Mom's Christmas chocolate fudge
I salivate at the memory of these two...
favorite christmas treats
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