Photography © Edward S. Gault

 

Another food poem

You like your
applesauce
cinnamoned
or strawberried?

Milk
from the cow
or free of dairy?

I hope you like
your kiwi hairy,

cuz the way we eat em
you’d think we were 70’s pornstars

that just got married.
Banana peeled

from the top or the bottom?
Last lady to answer wrong

got caught up with Gomorra and Sodom.
Is it forwards or backwards?

Thinking bout all this makes my back hurt…
or does my head hurt? If you eat that ”French” yogurt

with the seductive add from Hulu
does it make you vanilla or a flirt?

My Romaine heart hurts, hopeless romantics, our
choice in snacks is shallow and pedantic.

Order take-out or take it in?
Dodge Covid or let it win?

Styrofoam to-go, or something plastic? They’re bad fo the planet…
It’s a bad plan, but let’s dine in? Just wear something hazmatic.

Wheat or whole grain?
White bread or Black pain?

Blueberries leave stains
dark like bathroom drains
hipster’s glasses frames, ventablack,
the inside of your noggin, or the backseat of a coffin.

Here’s a free throw,
mustard or mayo?

Ketchup or get left behind, ask god if we’re fated
to take it slow or if we’re at odds with time.

if you see that dude, tell him
I said tomatoes are gross,

I’ve tasted better stuff up my nose.
Peanuts or peabolts?

Do you pee hammers or lightning bolts?
The poetry is crazy, but I hope you’re hungry

or maybe hangry. Check out some recipes,
make some good-good, and save the rest for me

 

Denzel Johnson-Green is a poet and photographer living in St.Pete, Florida. He’s the creator of a local poetry journal, Neptune, is the host of a weekly poetry gathering called Community Poetry, and is the recipient of the Roy Peter Clark Literary Prize. He loves writing about food, discrimination, magic, and strange stuff around town.

Edward S. Gault is a poet and fine arts photographer living in Brighton, Massachusetts. His work has appeared in Oddball Magazine, Spectrum, Wilderness House Literary Review, Interlude, Currents, and Encore.