The Poetry Marathon 2022 – Hour 9
Original Poetry by DS Coremans
#FoDiByLi
Free Verse (Monettian) – In a Belgian Kitchen Cupboard
I REMEMBER the food on that trip
not the trip itself not the beaches
or the sand no I REMEMBER the late night
tip-toe reaches into the kitchen cupboard
to get to the hidden marshmallow fluff
that sticky white sugar crash waiting
to happen I REMEMBER a mountain of
waffles and syrup not the bird in the cage
in the corner or the man of such a great age
who regaled my parents with tales of their
parents who never shared the stories
they thought it best to keep hidden away
no I was amazed that the man of great age
could work in the haze of heat that came
from the ancient waffle iron that he used
to build up that mountain which had all of
my attention that day and days to come
I dreamed of those waffles and syrup and
cream, not my favourite thing but plenty
enough eaten anyway I REMEMBER
the fish-bone which stuck in my throat
while I was alone and I panicked and moaned
until Dad slapped me on the back a welcome
attack but one which left me scarred afraid
mistakes were made but never again no
nothing with fins would ever pass my lips
no not after that I REMEMBER the chips
slathered in mayonnaise late at night
by the sea as the sun sets getting lower
and lower until it sinks in entirety into the sea
no not the sea into infinite but just until
tomorrow when we would see it again
when we walked along the sand hand in hand
with ice-cream cones so soft and cold and white
and delicious delicious ice-cream it helped me
to REMEMBER to remember to REMEMBER
those days before now those days
so far away from here from where I am
now where nothing ever tastes
quite the same as I used to REMEMBER
2022©DSCoremans
