A Vox Poplar conversation with a woman named Lori led to this poem. She was at the library with her two daughters, who told me that they like scary stories. “I don’t!” said their mother.
The Stranger: Lori
The Word: Delicious
The poem I wrote:
To be eaten by bears. To fall
into the river’s hungry mouth.
To break each bone.
To become meat. To be
roasted in some ogre’s oven.
To slip underground, celebratory
worm-feast. To forget,
to dread each possible ending.
To devour fright-stories
as some form of immunity.
To raven life. To sense organ-deep
that safety is so delicious.
September 20, 2018 at 12:26 am
I’ll Take Fries With That
So many foods we love that are known to be delicious,
Now, are on lists, anathema, not regarded as nutritious.
For so many, many eons, Humans hunted and collected.
For our ancestor’s survival, these tasks could not be neglected.
In the time called pre-history, we trekked savannahs very vast
Hunting mighty mastodons (not a food that you’d call fast.)
It was probably much safer to try to find some fruit,
Mushrooms, nuts, and berries, occasionally a root.
Only sixteen thousand years ago, we scratched with sticks into the soil
To plant and grow a meager harvest that came with so much toil.
Folks then found that for the need to put meat upon the grill
Domesticated animals more easily fit the bill.
It has been an age since we sought food that could fight back.
Now we must do battle with our own bodies girthed in fat.
For eleven million years or so, Humankind has been in need
Salt, sugars, and some fat have been needed in our feed.
It seems are brains are wired. These items are required.
And the desperate pursuit of them has never been retired.
Many of the folks have said that they’re not needing any sweets
Have found that those words have ended in defeat.
Who can resist a potato chip soaked savory oil?
You can’t eat just one. Resistance is much toil.
It seems we are compelled. Anybody worth his salt
Can say he feel driven. It seems it’s by default.
It’s not that we shouldn’t have these foods. As essentials, they’re still needed.
It is just that nowadays, easy acquisition is not a thing impeded.
Those who process and sell us food are anxious to provide.
They want to get our money easily, take us for a ride.
They know that we are victims of our ancient appetites.
They gladly sell us diet plans and treadmills to help us with our fight.
Once, we needed all these foods because getting them was hard.
But a world of easy calories has me becoming lard.
Just thinking of these tasty foods has me smacking lips.
I may have to do some stalking to see if I can bag some chips.
So maybe I will look for you at the Fat/Salt/Sugar Heaven
As we hunt and gather at our local Seven-Eleven.