She woke up that day,
With a peculiar hunger gnawing at her.
She felt starved as if she hadn't eaten in days.
And yearnings sprung to life inside her mind,
And she wrote them all down in her grocery list.
a) The taste of tea with lemon,
Tipping on the edge between sweet and sour,
b) Crisply toasted brown bread slicked smooth,
With jalapeños flavoured cheese.
c) The bland normality of saltine crackers,
As comforting as an ordinary day.
d) The delightful crunch of peanut brittle,
The rough, nutty flavour of it.
e) The delicate aroma of long-grained basmati rice,
Floating like sleek clouds on her taste buds.
f) the cheesy heaven of pasta with alfredo sauce,
And the bowl wiped clean with fingers.
g) The soft acidic tang of French salad dressing,
On smoked chicken and tomatoes.
h) Soft stuffed parathas veiling the treasure,
Of golden potatoes within.
i) The syrupy sweetness of black currant ice cream,
Vanishing like smoke in your mouth.
j) The thick, rich gravy of palak paneer,
Green and savoury and sumptuous.
k) The umami flavour of schezhwan chicken,
Ambiguous, yet unique because of its ambiguity.
l) The cushiony touch of the adorable iddli,
Too cute to be eaten.
m) The coolness of tender coconut water,
Fresh from the tree.
So, she goes off to the supermarket.
The guy at the checkout counter,
With the bright eyes, smiles indulgently,
At her shopping cart.
"What a spread! You've got
Quite the feast planned!
What's the occasion?"
She smiled at him,
(A smile hiding volumes and volumes of pain,
And her tears had dried by then.)
And said,
'Do I really need an occasion,
To make myself happy?'
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NEPENTHE
PoetryHi there! The word NEPENTHE means anything that induces forgetfulness of sorrow or pain. I, for one, believe that little things like smiles, my mother's comfort food and long walks are the best forms of nepenthe around. These poems celebrate the s...
