Serve & Take Away

Yesterday evening @ Padrón Lunarda

ceviche, mussels, red prawn risotto —

the mussels plump & dripping

with broth I dredge warm rolls through,

red prawn a sticky dissection sugary reward,

raw fish in lemony avocado-green sauce.

Sumptuous restaurant food repels

even as menus evoke desire,

exalt ingredients to sacred

— chilies, olives, green onions, padrón peppers,

lettuce drenched in gorgonzola —

ceremony of serve & take away.

This morning in the privacy of the airbnb

I fry an egg in brown butter,

brew supermarket coffee

& pour over skim milk warmed in the microwave.

There will be no croissant this morning,

not even the seed-sprinkled wholegrain.