Poetic Recipe
By Peter A. Witt

Poetry is a dash of salt and a pinch of peppermixed with silvery shallots, minced garlic,
quarter cup of chilled Chablisthat seasons words freshly pickedat luscious dawn along a morning walk through a forestof disjointed phrases and dangling images,
some yapping for attention, some waiting silentlyto be discovered,
after a night of drunken rain,an early morning douse of dark thunderand showy lightning.

 

In a quiet kitchen, all is sautéed at low heat,mixed with metaphor, finished with a bit
of silky cream,spilled onto a blue-glass plate decoratedwith river, ghost and lover scenes,then served with crusty baguettes,inspired by poetic bakers of generations past,accompanied by a splash of mystery,wrapped in a fleece of extended brevity.

 

When each morsel has been savored, reflected on,examined for flavor, color, and design,
a critique is formed, gathering insightsfor future efforts to choose the right ingredients,
refine the proper temperature,thrust of stirring, dare of heat...

 

perhaps next time a bit more salt,a flame turned slightly higher,
with greater time allowed to createa finished glaze of succulent brown,
a glow and sizzle that welcomesthe tongue and eye,
a moment of ah and wonderthat demands repeating for friends
at future gatherings of gourmands and wordsmiths,
all recorded in a patterned notebook,
perhaps to share with others
for their inspection and recitation.

 

Peter A. Witt is a Texas poet and a retired university professor. Also writes family history and likes to take pictures of birds.