Boiled in a somber broth
of ginseng and wolfberries,
angelica and licorice root,
chuan xiong and longan
you float, silkie,
black of skin, of flesh,
of bone in your sky blue
bowl.
You remind me of night,
of falling off a towering
cliff of insomnia into a black
hole dream
in which I am a lost orca
swimming in a sea without
light.
Ni hao, readers! I’m back from Taiwan where I had the good or perhaps I might say auspicious fortune of spending Chinese New Year with my son, M, his girlfriend, P, and her family.
Today is Day 1 of National Poetry Writing Month, NaPoWriMo, in which many poets in our country will be penning a poem each day for the month of April. As usual, my muse shook me awake at 3:30 a.m., this time screaming, “Chicken soup! Chicken soup!” She must have been inspired by the incredible feast we had at P’s mom’s house in which the last delicacy set on the table, next to the pig ankle and hooves, was black chicken soup. It is made with a silkie chicken and, I was told, with a special “medicine” that cures just about everything. Anyhow, this poem is what Muse served me for breakfast.
Still Life with Tortillas 
It’s so good to have you back, Susan, and I’m eager to hear more about your travels.
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Thanks, Carol. Great to be back in my Pacific Northwest home for a while and breathing clean air.
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Let the games begin — following your adventures on NaPoWriMo! We’ll see if you can bring me along a bit further in poetry appreciation. Today’s left me with a mood . . . “falling off a towering
cliff of insomnia into a black hold dream” is evocative. . .
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Hi Katie. I believe you started to soften up to poetry last year, right? I hate to say this, but everyone I talked with today didn’t sleep well last night. Isn’t that strange? You, though, used the time for some creative work, which is super-cool. Who can resist the muse? Not I!
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Seductive and atmospheric… this piece pulled me in, and left me hungry. 😉
Welcome back! I know you’ve been busy, but would love to have lunch/coffee/etc some time?
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Thank you, Dawn. I’m glad you were pulled in, but not over the cliff! Yes, let’s chow down somewhere soon, but not on black chicken soup!
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I think the black chicken soup sounds great, but I’ll take whatever you pick! Let me know… xox
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superb
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Thanks so much, Paul! That is one powerful word…feels good to hear.
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Welcome back! Clearly that meal left an impression on your subconscious. I like it!
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Thanks, Jilanne! And yes, I’ll probably never shake the image of that sad, sad chicken floating in its indigo sea. 🙂
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