My empty gut in echoed hunger
rests in burgers dripping with grease;
recall the pangs of when much younger.
The crumbs always lead me back home
with dry white toast and margarine,
big orange blocks of surplus cheese,
macaroni, and mushy green beans.
The crumbs always lead me back home.
German Chocolate cake from a mix
with hard coconut grit in my teeth;
chicken, and dumplings with Bisquick.
The crumbs always lead me back home.
As sugar grumbles, my liver faints.
Rewarding quarters fund this thief;
my face frequent in dime store haunts.
The crumbs always lead me back home.
There are exceptions to all rules.
When family gathers blanket grief;
nutritious laughs ‘mongst carefree fools,
the crumbs always lead me back home.
Today’s offering is in a modified kyrielle form.
Top image of food art is by Piotr Bikont
Sarah is today’s host for dVerse’ Poetics. Sarah says:
So, your mission for tonight is to write a poem about food.
Tao Talk 
I like this celebration of very ordinary food and the idea of crumbs leading us home – shades of Hansel and Gretel? The repetition works well, and the picture is hilarious!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks much, Sarah. I was born and raised with that kind of food, but at holiday gatherings we had banquets with plenty of good cheer. About the image, there is a site full of these funny food images and this one, with all of the starch, seemed to exemplify it best :)
LikeLiked by 2 people
I love it. the simple food we ate… all those things that today are considered less fancy. I remember we sometimes had canned ha for instance.
LikeLiked by 2 people
We had a very large family (7 kids and 2 adults) and not a lot of income. This kind of fare was the usual. I look back on it and all of the candy I ate as a kid and cringe!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is an intriguing and haunting poem, Lisa – and great to hear you read!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ingrid, thank you very much for noticing the subtleties of it. Glad you liked the reading :)
LikeLiked by 2 people
So lovely to hear you read this poem, Lisa! I resonate with; “nutritious laughs ‘mongst carefree fools, the crumbs always lead me back home.”
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you very much, Sanaa. Sometimes the crumbs are enough.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Surplus cheese was a staple when I was very young. When I think about how meals were prepared back then — lard, for instance, or my father’s snack of a slice of bread spread with butter then sprinkled with sugar – I wonder how any of us survived. I know his clogged arteries were a testament to it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m glad you can relate, Ken.
LikeLiked by 2 people
You make it look so simple – so fun to read, a lovely flow, like real poetry…love it – I mean it IS real poetry of course!
LikeLiked by 2 people
lol, thanks, Ain. I often wonder myself whether it’s “real poetry.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautifully done. I appreciate the journey, and the delight invoked with following a trail of crumbs.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Masa, your kind words and your delight are appreciated. Thank you.
LikeLiked by 2 people
“The crumbs always lead me back home.”
Awesome repeated line.
Much love…
LikeLiked by 2 people
Gillena thank you very much.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is wonderfully written Lisa. Had a bittersweet flavor, but home always lingers in the bones. My crumbs always lead me to the mountains, forests, and streams of Oregon. I made certain not to drop anything when I left Ohio.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Rob, thank you for your thoughtful comment. You got where I was going with my dropped crumbs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Those vegetables from a can…You’ve described my childhood diet perfectly. (K)
LikeLiked by 2 people
haha! And we survived!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s amazing when I think of the “food” we ate.
LikeLiked by 2 people
This was wonderful, Lisa. Remembering the food you were brought up on which may not be gourmet, but always remind you of where you came from.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you. Very good point, Dale. It sure does!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Tuna sandwiches and tomato soup and I’m right back at my family kitchen table, having just walked home from school for lunch :)
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yum that sounds really good right now :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
You know, now that we’re “talking” about it… I haven’t made a tuna sandwich in AGES… gonna do so tomorrow!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Love the recurring refrain Li. Nicely penned
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Sadje :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome my friend
LikeLiked by 2 people
‘The crumbs always lead me back home’ ~ so much in these lines!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Carol, thank you :)
LikeLike
I love what you did with this one Lisa. I could identify with some of those images as the crumbs lead you back home. Well done.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dwight, thank you very much.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are very welcome!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Love the plate bunny… is this your creation?
LikeLiked by 2 people
I wish I could take credit for it. It’s from a Russian food site that makes art out of food.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is very creative!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I certainly have fond memories of my mom’s cooking. I think she did a great job providing us with delicious foods. Overall, I would say our diet was also pretty healthy. My mom mostly used fresh ingredients. Vary rarely did we have already prepared meals.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Christian, I’m happy you had that kind of healthy start in your life. What is your favorite that your mom prepared for you?
LikeLiked by 1 person
She made a yummy cheesecake, based on a recipe from my grandma.
One of her main dishes I liked in particular was fried liver Venitian style with onions and plenty of garlic, served with rice.
Perhaps somewhat ironically, based on what I said before, there was also a prepared spaghetti dish called Miracoli – basically, spaghetti with a tomatoe sauce and a mix of spices – super tasty! :-)
LikeLiked by 2 people
:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s lovely to hear you read, Li. It’s a wonderful coincidence that I’ve written on similar lines, comforts of a simple meal. :)
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Kitty :) Will be visiting the poetry trail again soon to see your offering.
LikeLike
I love hamburgers and simple foods – my Dad had a very simple taste, and I love all the foods he used to enjoy :-D
<3
David
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m glad those simple foods made you think of your Dad, David.
LikeLike
Love the presentation in the image. Happy to learn Kyrielle and food combos. I looked up Bisquick though…
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks much, Reena. There was always a box of Bisquick in the cupboard when I was growing up :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
A kyrielle I savored,with its varying flavors and sinful treats that came along the way…
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Q. Glad you enjoyed it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Th refrain cannot be avoided, it anchors the experience long held, no matter the journey, wonderful.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well-said, Paul, thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Loving your lines :)
LikeLiked by 2 people
It’s funny reading about the food other people were brought up on. Industrial food wasn’t really a thing in the households I knew, so it was loads of potatoes pasta and rice, vegetables especially cabbage, very little meat and no shop-bought sweet stuff. It was probably very healthy!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes it has been fun seeing what others ate as kids. I wish there hadn’t been so many little mom and pop stores around I could walk to to buy candy. For some reason my folks didn’t have a problem with it!
LikeLike
I hope they also had a good dentist!
LikeLiked by 2 people
:( Our dentist’s motto was to pull baby teeth and also to pull permanent teeth first, ask questions later.
LikeLike
Bit like ours, but he never extracted any of ours, just drilled the bastards before they even thought of getting a cavity.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Crumbs leading us back home and to ourselves is a beautiful thought. It’s so easy to lose who we are these days.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It does seem like we can get lost in the chaos, you’re right.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wasn’t sure when I read this if these were fond memories or held sadder undertones? Less celebration, more reflection. I like the rhythm of the Kyrielle – the repeating refrain so perfect for the words themselves.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Marion, I appreciate your closer look. The reality is they are memories, for better and worse. They go hand in hand. I do remember the sharp contrast between our daily fare and the sumptuous offerings at our large family holiday gatherings. Thank you for the kind comment :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are very welcome😊
LikeLiked by 2 people
I do love the image and it reminded me of hansel and Gretel.. Love the repeat!~ 💖
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks much, Cindy :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re so welcome! 💖
LikeLiked by 1 person
<3
LikeLike