Food Poems
We Refugees
by Benjamin Zephaniah
I come from a musical place
Where they shoot me for my song
And my brother has been tortured
By my brother in my land.
I come from a beautiful place
Where they hate my shade of skin
They don't like the way I pray
And they ban free poetry.
......
Valentine
by Carol Ann Duffy
Not a red rose or a satin heart.
I give you an onion.
It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.
It promises light
like the careful undressing of love.
Here.
It will blind you with tears
like a lover.
......
From A German War Primer
by Bertolt Brecht
AMONGST THE HIGHLY PLACED
It is considered low to talk about food.
The fact is: they have
Already eaten.
The lowly must leave this earth
Without having tasted
Any good meat.
For wondering where they come from and
......
The Law Of The Jungle
by Rudyard Kipling
Now this is the Law of the Jungle -- as old and as true as the sky; And the Wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the Wolf that shall break it must die. AAs the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk the Law runneth forward and back --
For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.
Wash daily from nose-tip to tail-tip; drink deeply, but never too deep;
And remember the night is for hunting, and forget not the day is for sleep.
The Jackal may follow the Tiger, but, Cub, when thy whiskers are grown,
Remember the Wolf is a Hunter -- go forth and get food of thine own.
Keep peace withe Lords of the Jungle -- the Tiger, the Panther, and Bear.
And trouble not Hathi the Silent, and mock not the Boar in his lair.
When Pack meets with Pack in the Jungle, and neither will go from the trail,
Lie down till the leaders have spoken -- it may be fair words shall prevail.
......
Nature Trail
by Benjamin Zephaniah
At the bottom of my garden
There's a hedgehog and a frog
And a lot of creepy-crawlies
Living underneath a log,
There's a baby daddy long legs
And an easy-going snail
And a family of woodlice,
All are on my nature trail.
There are caterpillars waiting
......
Locked Away
by Evelyn Judy Buehler
Peter Perkins loved tasty pumpkin, in pies, in puddings and etcetera;
Which filled their house with tempting smells, so said his wife, Elena.
Beloved Elena was a splendid cook, to which fond Peter could attest,
With hand over his crimson heart, like rouge sun dyeing in the west.
The Perkins had a bouncy pet rabbit; and they called him 'Scamper,'
Like pretty, fall leaves forever flying, in hues red, purple and amber.
Frigid days had turned fragrant, and the friendly friends came calling,
......
Yayu's AI Takeout
by Yayu Uppsurya
Amidst the glow of neon lights,
A paper box, the dream ignites;
With greasy hands and hungry sighs,
We chase the scent, where virtue lies.
In hollow streets, the ghosts parade,
A symphony of choice displayed;
Yet hunger gnaws at empty bowls,
As plastic wraps conceal our goals.
......
To Good Health
by Evelyn Judy Buehler
Jack Sprat and wife Mary, lived in a glory of lemony, chiffon days;
Like maroon birds keep on singing, until the sunset, orange phase.
They were comfy and happy, like a picnic in lavish, emerald grass;
And had a black dog and a calico cat, like red Mars making a pass.
While Jack was a large man, his beloved wife, contrarily, was tiny.
They gardened after church on Sundays, as sweet time went slyly.
At the mauve hour of dinner, they enjoyed each other's company,
......
Yayu's AI Chestnuts Noodles
by Yayu Uppsurya
Under the autumn canopy, a story unfolds,
Of chestnuts and noodles, some thick and some thin,
With the rustle of leaves, the season's joys are told,
A simple meal where flavors blend in.
Chestnuts, gathered from the ground's amber hue,
Their tough shells give way to the boil and bubble,
In the kitchen, they soften, then glue,
Their richness to the pot, a subtle trouble.
......
Creation Is A Feast
by Everleigh Blackburn
the sizzle of garlic in oil,
spices whisper secrets,
the warmth of butter melting,
golden, fragrant, inviting—
a melody of textures,
the rhythm of chopping, slicing,
the heartbeat of a meal,
onions sizzle their golden secrets.
......
