Poem 174 – Fusion Cooking

Ingredients:
blend together
two unrelated
cuisines or musical
languages

Outcome:
a fusion dish
of novel taste
an auditory
revelation

Ingredients:
two particles
accelerated
at speed into
a forced collision

Outcome:
explosive wave
of energy
reveals sub-
atomic secrets

Ingredients:
grab unrelated
ideas and hurl
together hard
to see what happens

Outcome:
metaphorical
generation
conceives surprising
ideas and insights

Ingredients:
a man, a woman
heat up their hormones
stir DNA
and leave to sit

Outcome:
new life erupts
through pain and joy
familiar yet
distinctly different

But still…
we build
our walls
close down
the channels
shut down
surprise
take cover
behind
our slogans
fearful
of what
might be
and be
discovered

This started life as a poem about poems and metaphors for World Poetry Day, but finished up as something quite different as I combined not just this and other interests of mine whilst reflecting on a local hotel housing asylum seekers.
(23.03.23)

© Ben Quant 2023
Photo by John Legrand on Unsplash

Poem 128 – A Daily Ritual

I intervene before the kettle boils
Just as the pitch begins to shift I lift
And pour its contents on the roasted beans
A bed, that’s waiting to be stirred to life
A dash of white completes the conjured spell
Awakening its swirling velvet darkness
Its rich fragrance assaults and tastebuds cheer
As finally… anticipation ends

A mid-morning coffee. Perfect.
(16.05.22)

© Ben Quant 2022

Poem 123 – May Day Morning

Today’s alarm did not ring out,
Instead the morning sun caressed,
My face, teasing me awake.
Did I feel guilty? Pleasurably!
With tasks postponed, time to relax,
Until the taste of warmed croissant,
And ritual brewing of our tea,
Contrived to lure me out of bed…

Lazy mornings are currently few and far between, but today we managed one. Lovely.
(02.05.22)

© Ben Quant 2022

Poem 93 – Culinary Treasure

A fish ingot golden not brown
Alongside a portion of chips
Not fries but thickly cut and bagged

Salt sprinkled, paired perfectly with
A bite of vinegar splashed over
All wrapped in sweating paper, warm

Carefully rolled, corners tucked tight
And popped into a plastic bag
To take home quick, this British treasure

I drove the long straight drive to Bristol this evening. On arrival, I felt a portion of fish and chips had been earnt.
(17.02.22)

© Ben Quant 2022

Poem 63 – The Master Chefs

We traded favourite flavours
And swapped celebrity chefs
Compared inherited recipes
Until we had full sets
One trusted only Berry
Another Delia Smith
Some bish-bash-boshed with Jamie
But I like Nadiya best

A quick doodle today after over heating a conversation at foodbank about cookery.
(31.12.21)

© Ben Quant 2021

Poem 39 – Baked Apples

Two lopsided apples freshly plucked from
The branches of our garden tree hanging
Within easy reach scrubbed clean and
Checked all over for signs of wildlife

Circumference scored with small knife then
Core carved out its hollow packed with
Dried raisins and dates and sprinkled
With bittersweet cinnamon to season

Placed in an oven hot to swell a
Fruit sauna sweating juices flowing
Until soft throughout then served with
Fresh cream poured perfecting

Baked homegrown apples make a perfect autumn dessert.
(19.11.21)

© Ben Quant 2021