A Menu Proposal
A poem about delicious choices
L’Aperitivo
flames on running wax over the musk of rose petals and flashing white, new to end, anticipation
Il Primo
a perfect autumn, crisp — flavored with cinnamon from the lush deep pockets of grandmother’s apron
Il Secondo
diving through chlorinated blue into the endless summer of youth days like lemon drops — nights like rain —
Il Contorno
laughing with friends through the end of nocturnal revelry before the dismal fog, the wet slap of morning
Il Dolce
and then the darkness — the round rum night the night rum round, turned over in a salty barrel — a flash of castanets
Il Digestivo
aromas like photographs blurred through unstoppered days memories cooked to order holding back the question:
yes?
Many years ago when my then-boyfriend proposed to me, he was a chef at a fancy restaurant. When he popped the question, he first cooked all my favorite foods to butter me up (sorry about the pun, ha). I wrote this poem in response to that evening, and how food can also be a menu of good memories.