Category Archives: food

TRAPPIST FOODS

When J. J. NISSEN folded,

My image of a bakery molded…

Its replacement too big

So I had to dig,

To see what research “beholded”.

My past is in two places–

It one ever traces–

The lines of “me”

Diligently

For personal data chases!

Massachusetts, New York State,

My two major windows of fate…

Born here

But raised over there,

Memories in both are great.

One of my faves was Monks Bread,

A Trappist Monastery did…

And still does

The bread funds their cause,

Producing jams, jellies, plus all kinds of bread!

A model flat against the wall,

Leaves hardly space at all…

Have to use what I have

Of plastic walls saved,

Modeling a bakery et. al.

So I thought of TRAPPIST FOODS,

A catch-all title to use…

Producing bread

And conserves, I said,

Switching different train cars is a ball!

Specifically, flour and fruit,

Corn syrup and sugar to boot…

Isn’t enough?

They brand other stuff,

The question of a brewery—moot.

MONKS BREAD  from Western New York,

From that Trappist Abbey of course…

A college friend

Heading toward that end,

Found a wife and went in another!

–Jonathan Caswell

CHANGING TREE TANKA

CHANGING TREE TANKA

Colors start to pop,

Trees shut down their leaves’ supply…

Green leaves turn colors:

Morphology is working

Just the same in ev’ry year!

–J.E.C.

People come from far

And near…”peeping” foliage…

Brighter is better:

Bus loads come en mass to shop.

Local business harvests crops!

–J.E.C.

A final push all

Benefit from folderol…

Festivals light skies:

Candied apples and brown bread

Folks ready for winter dead.

–J.E.C.

Railroad excursions,

Northeast woodland incursions…

Train cars filled with joy:

Steam or diesel pull the trains,

Nostalgic commerce makes gains!

–Jonathan Caswell

ALLUSIONS TO SPRING

ALLUSIONS TO SPRING

“Le Sacre du Printemps,”**

Sgtravinsky’s ode to Spring…

Eviscerates the inner man

As discordant chords ka-ching.

Heavy rumblings from the rite

Of virgins dancing ’round…

Past Elders staring hard

To see which will be bound.

Spring rites of fertility

Deeper than Druids’ way…

Hold the ancient mysteries

Before talen away!

On and on the weary cycle goes,

Building to a lusty fever pitch…

Every year the Elders get their choice–

All this to celebrate that  itch.!

–Jonathan Caswell

** “Le Sare du Printemps (in French)” , or, THE RITE OF SPRING, by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky, was written in 1913, as an avant-garde piece of orchestral opera…with stage settings, choreography and costumes.  Its debut on May 29,1913 caused a near riot in the audience!  Listen to it…and you’ll inderstand why (not easy to listen to, the first time.  Information largely from WIKIPEDIA….and memory.

GETTING MY MUSHROOMS

GETTING MY MUSHROOMS!

Ordering beef lo mein

From YAN’s  seems like a game……

But I’ll consume

The mighty  mushroom,

If they smell mushroomy,they’re a bane!

–Jonathan Caswell

.

HAIKU FOR ECOSYSTEMS

HAIKU FOR ECOSYSTEMS

Fancy the peepers

Leap-frogging in vernal pools

Short life, sweet singing!

–J.E.C.

Awful garbage left

For a Cause folks are bereft

Of love for themselves!

–J.E.C.

Fine people are we,

Who force others to comply

Practice we ignore!

–J.E.C.

Behold birds singing

Focussed on their nest building,

Preparing futures!

–Jonathan C.

Lions, tigers, bears

Don’t put on arrogant airs

They don’t play at God.

–Jonathan Caswell

Salamanders’ moon

Will you help them cross the road?

Salamander soup?

–J. E. Caswell

What is mankind worth?

Just the top of a food chain?

Love humankind first!

–Jonathan Caswell

LATE-NIGHT RADIO WONDERS

LATE-NIGHT RADIO WONDERS!

Rode home part-way with Clyde Lewis,

GROUND ZERO, for the clueless…

Oft mentions stargates

U.F.O. debates,

Bringing the paranormal to us.

COAST-TO-COAST AM, with George Noory,

Sometimes tells a similar story…

History, politics,

All these get their licks,

I got home too soon and I’m sorry!

Ate blue corn chips driving home

And drank DIET MOXIE alone…

MOXIE tasted fine

It had been some time,

It tasted okay on its own!

–Jonathan Caswell

TOYING WITH TANKA

TOYING WITH TANKA

Been taken as a fool

A two-hundred dollar school,

Burning with laughter

Their laughter–smiling at me

Smilingly to the bank vault!

–J.E.C.

Successful robins

Pulling worms out at their will

Feeding generation

Filling nests of happy broods

Serenading the damp woods!

–J.E.C.

SALAD AND BROCCOLI–RAW, RAW, RAW!

SALAD AND BROCCOLI–RAW,RAW,RAW!

(or nearly so)

I ordered Broccoli and Beef,

The broccoli part was chief…

Ingredient

And chewing went

Well considering my teeth!

Reminded me of my Dad

And the chopped-up salad he had…

Which he barely chewed,

His puree’ he viewed

With words that sounded so sad!

–Jonathan Caswell

MORE THAN SATISFACTORY

MORE THAN SATISFACTORY

A special Valentines Day,

More snow is coming to play…

On hills and dales

That high wind avails,

Whilst we stay inside and sashay!

We have our Saturday dinner,

My wife’s fancy dress a winner…

A Polish feast

For greatest to least,

Ah, community love doth glimmer!

After our repast nightcap,

We ambled home for a nap…

My love and me

Snore peacefully,

In recliners and my C-PAP!

She got a card out for me,

Am I too lazy?,,,

Neither could shop

(Will the snow ever stop!),

Our love is for eternity.

–Jonathan Caswell

WARMED WEATHER

WARMED WEATHER

Our Saturday boiled dinner

Was a social winner…

It sounded crass

But biogas,

Warmed up this spot of winter.

–Jonathan Caswell