An Ode

She is work horse, single driven.
She is manifest. She is whalebone and
beating heart behind a chicken breast.
She is laced, with coral lettuce, frilled.

She is bread, white toasted,
one slice soft, the other roasted.
For the squish and the crunch,
what they call the salle hard and soft.

She is mayonnaise – cold spread.
Tomatoes.

She is capers. She is the onion.
A toothpick if you want more,
later on,
retrieved from teeth,
remembering, the above you’ve tasted.

Salivate.

As I have done.
Hearing the word ‘lunch.’
Fall on said pointed petard.
Then, carry on.

She is stacked, don’t the mind the fries –
gone soon they’ve finished oiled hiss.

For She,
she is a work horse
(I never
use the whip.)
She is stable, nourishing, a
Favored Pumpernick.

And I forever hungry, seeking,
Sing odes
Of condiment!

For the mayo, and
What
Lucky sandwich
She bestows her gifts.


SARA BARNETT is a writer, actor, and foodie. With a new short story soon coming to IAMB LIT and several poems appearing in current issues of INDELIBLE LIT and REAPPARATION JOURNAL, “For the Mayo” is her first ode to a condiment. For a full list of publications as well as other creative exploits, feel free to check out more at SARABARNETT.NET.

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