How about Beef Bourguignon so rich you could use it
to anoint your body. Buttery Béarnaise drizzled
on precious lobster or clams simmered in white wine,
their shells open like prayers, heavenly steam
rising with the sighs of angels. Give us unctuous glorious
fats. Red wine and garlic anything. Basil is our favourite
companion herb. Crush it between our fingers
to release its friendly fragrance. If you test and retest
their recipes, five out of four judges may admit that we’re
teetering on food insecurity, chronic harvest failure,
better stock up on non-perishables, milk for building bones
is the biggest lie of all. Withholding information is what sinks
societies. Some of us are taking it personally, protesting
with Chlorella which cleans the blood, helps the liver
detoxify. Alfalfa scavenges for free radicals. Norwegian
kelp leaches mercury from the heart. Some of us don’t believe
the only supplements we need are daily. Me, I try to eat
less, be heart smart, reduce my blood pressure, for a time
in the future when I won’t be wanting so much. I worry
the psylium husks aren’t bulking up in the right density
to sweep my colon clean and I heard you should keep a pair
of chopsticks by the toilet for poking around in your stool,
it’s more dangerous out there than we know.
food
Picnic at Spanish Banks with Les Miserables
on the beach on this perfect summer evening
I’ve laid out a Mexican blanket woven with turquoise and ochre
and a fine spread of wild sockeye with tarragon
parmesan rolls and French organic wine
glass goblets from home and snap peas
picked fresh from my pesticide-free garden
Shellie Troy Anderson 