POETRY

Baker and Confectioner

a free verse poetry response to Imad

Baker and confectioner, Baker or confectioner. To do both is a rare skill, To do both and win competitions Is a very exceptional skill! This was my Father’s trade.

Above the shop is where we lived, With smells from loaves of bread And morning rolls, cobs they are Called in Birmingham city. Crusty or powdered? Ingrained within my young boy’s mind.

Chicken Pies and pasties, oh yes!

Chocolate eclairs, cream puffs Strawberry cake and jam doughnuts, mmm. We did prefer the pastries though, Danish, strudel, apple pies Cinnamon rolls and assorted fruit puffs.

Wedding cakes my Father made To which my Mother decorated, Once again, so I’m told was also A very skilled woman!

So here am I many years later Still with a love of bread. Cakes are not really my thing, Just give me dark chocolate The stronger the better! And I’ll take the odd jam doughnut!

Thank you Imad for your prompt request. J.

Read Imad’s great piece here…

In response to Victor Sarkin’s sweet piece here…

Thank you Dr Mehmet Yildiz and the Illumination team for giving my words a platform here at Illumination… Thank you all for reading and your valuable time. J.